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In Vitro Models for Studying the Interaction of Neisseria meningitidis with Human Brain Endothelial Cells

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Neisseria meningitidis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1969))

Abstract

Bacterial meningitis is a serious, life-threatening infection of the central nervous system (CNS). To cause meningitis, bacteria must interact with and penetrate the meningeal blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (mB/CSFB), which comprises highly specialized brain endothelial cells. Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis, and examination meningococcus’ interaction with the BBB is critical for understanding disease progression. To examine specific interactions, in vitro mB/CSFB models have been developed and employed and are of great importance because in vivo models have been difficult to produce considering Neisseria meningitidis is exclusively a human pathogen. Most in vitro blood-brain barrier and mB/CSF models use primary and immortalized brain endothelial cells, and these models have been used to examine bacterial–mB/CSFB interactions by a variety of pathogens. This chapter describes the use of past and current in vitro brain endothelial cells to model Neisseria meningitidis interaction with the mB/CSFB, and inform on the standard operating procedure for their use.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank past and present laboratory members of the Schubert-Unkmeir laboratory at the Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg. Work in the Schubert-Unkmeir laboratory on the interaction of N. meningitidis with BECs was supported by grants of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SCHU2394/3-1, SCHU 2394/2-1, SCHU 2394/2-2 and GRK2157) to A.S.M. and an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship to B.J.K. We are grateful to Elizabeth M. Rossi M.F.A. for the generation of Fig. 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Brandon J. Kim & Alexandra Schubert-Unkmeir

Authors
  1. Brandon J. Kim
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  2. Alexandra Schubert-Unkmeir
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra Schubert-Unkmeir .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute For Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia

    Kate L. Seib

  2. Institute For Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia

    Ian R. Peak

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Kim, B.J., Schubert-Unkmeir, A. (2019). In Vitro Models for Studying the Interaction of Neisseria meningitidis with Human Brain Endothelial Cells. In: Seib, K., Peak, I. (eds) Neisseria meningitidis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1969. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9202-7_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9202-7_10

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-9201-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-9202-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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