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Mechanisms of Dexamethasone-Mediated Inhibition of Toll-Like Receptor Signaling Induced by Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae

Department of Infectious Diseases, Skejby Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark,¹ Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark²

Received 21 June 2007/ Returned for modification 29 July 2007/ Accepted 6 October 2007

Excessive inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis, which remains a serious disease despite treatment with antibiotics. Therefore, anti-inflammatory drugs have important therapeutic potential, and clinical trials have revealed that early treatment with dexamethasone significantly reduces mortality and morbidity from bacterial meningitis. Here we investigate the molecular mechanisms behind the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone upon the inflammatory responses evoked by Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, two of the major causes of bacterial meningitis. The inflammatory cytokine response was dependent on Toll-like receptor signaling and was strongly inhibited by dexamethasone. Activation of the NF-B pathway was targeted at several levels, including inhibition of IB phosphorylation and NF-B DNA-binding activity as well as upregulation of IB synthesis. Our data also revealed that the timing of steroid treatment relative to infection was important for achieving strong inhibition, particularly in response to S. pneumoniae. Altogether, we describe important targets of dexamethasone in the inflammatory responses evoked by N. meningitidis and S. pneumoniae, which may contribute to our understanding of the clinical effect and the importance of timing with respect to corticosteroid treatment during bacterial meningitis.

Published ahead of print on 15 October 2007.

Editor: A. Camilli