NF-κB activation in cerebrospinal fluid cells from patients with meningitis

We examined whether or not NF-kappaB, a factor that regulates expression of the genes that code for pro-inflammatory cytokines, is activated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells to investigate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by CSF cells in patients with meningitis. Western blotting demonstrated that NF-kappaB was more activated in CSF cells of patients with bacterial meningitis than in those of patients with aseptic meningitis. NF-kappaB was hardly activated in carcinomatous meningitis. The NF-kappaB activation in CSF cells of patients with meningitis tended to be correlated with the CSF interleukin-6 concentration. Our data suggested that CSF cells produce pro-inflammatory cytokines through NF-kappaB activation in meningitis, and that increased NF-kappaB activation in CSF cells indicate infectious meningitis rather than carcinomatous meningitis.