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Journal of Neuroinflammation
Published in: Journal of Neuroinflammation 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research

Reduced spiral ganglion neuronal loss by adjunctive neurotrophin-3 in experimental pneumococcal meningitis

Authors: Cornelia Demel, Tobias Hoegen, Armin Giese, Barbara Angele, Hans-Walter Pfister, Uwe Koedel, Matthias Klein

Published in: Journal of Neuroinflammation | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Hearing loss is a frequent long-term complication of pneumococcal meningitis (PM). Its main pathological correlate is damage to the organ of Corti and loss of spiral ganglion neurons. The only current treatment option is cochlear implants which require surviving neurons. Here, we investigated the impact of systemically applied neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) on long-term hearing loss and the survival of neurons.

Methods

Eighteen hours after infection with S. pneumoniae, C57BL/6 mice were treated with a combination of ceftriaxone with NT-3 or dexamethasone or placebo. Hearing, cochlear damage, and brain damage were assessed by audiometry and histology.

Results

The main findings from immunohistochemical visualization of neurotrophins (NT-3, BDNF) and their receptors (TrkB, TrkC, and p75) in the cochlea were (i) enhanced staining for the cell survival-promoting receptor TrkB and (ii) increased NT-3 staining in NT-3 treated mice, showing that systemically applied NT-3 reaches the cochlea. The major effects of adjunctive NT-3 treatment were (i) a reduction of meningitis-induced hearing impairment and (ii) a reduction of spiral ganglion neuronal loss. The efficacy of NT-3 therapy was comparable to that of dexamethasone.

Conclusion

Systemically applied NT-3 might be an interesting candidate to improve hearing outcome after pneumococcal meningitis.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Reduced spiral ganglion neuronal loss by adjunctive neurotrophin-3 in experimental pneumococcal meningitis
Authors
Cornelia Demel
Tobias Hoegen
Armin Giese
Barbara Angele
Hans-Walter Pfister
Uwe Koedel
Matthias Klein
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Neuroinflammation / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1742-2094
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-2094-8-7

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