A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis

Abstract Neurosyphilis (NS) is a clinical condition caused by infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by Treponema pallidum (Tp) that can lead to asymptomatic meningitis and more serious neurological diseases, such as dementia and blindness. However, current studies on the pathogenesis of NS a...

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Main Authors: Qiyu Zhang, Jie Ma, Jia Zhou, Hanlin Zhang, Mansheng Li, Huizi Gong, Yujie Wang, Heyi Zheng, Jun Li, Ling Leng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Advanced Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406971
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author Qiyu Zhang
Jie Ma
Jia Zhou
Hanlin Zhang
Mansheng Li
Huizi Gong
Yujie Wang
Heyi Zheng
Jun Li
Ling Leng
author_facet Qiyu Zhang
Jie Ma
Jia Zhou
Hanlin Zhang
Mansheng Li
Huizi Gong
Yujie Wang
Heyi Zheng
Jun Li
Ling Leng
author_sort Qiyu Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Neurosyphilis (NS) is a clinical condition caused by infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by Treponema pallidum (Tp) that can lead to asymptomatic meningitis and more serious neurological diseases, such as dementia and blindness. However, current studies on the pathogenesis of NS are limited. Here, through the integration analysis of proteomics and single‐cell transcriptomics, Toll‐like/NF‐κB signaling is identified as the key pathway involved in CNS damage caused by Tp. Moreover, monocyte‐derived macrophages are key cells involved in the inflammatory response to Tp in the CNS of NS patients. In addition, it is found that inflammatory cells in peripheral blood may cause neurological damage through disruption of the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) in individuals with NS. Notably, activation of the Toll‐like/NF‐κB signaling pathway, as well as dysregulation of neural function, is likewise validated in an in vitro NS brain organoid model. In conclusion, the results revealed the mechanisms of inflammation‐mediated brain injury in Tp‐induced NS and provided new ideas for the clinical treatment of Tp infection.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2198-3844
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Advanced Science
spelling doaj-art-904e867bfffb482ab20ffbcddf5243062025-02-04T13:14:54ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-02-01125n/an/a10.1002/advs.202406971A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in NeurosyphilisQiyu Zhang0Jie Ma1Jia Zhou2Hanlin Zhang3Mansheng Li4Huizi Gong5Yujie Wang6Heyi Zheng7Jun Li8Ling Leng9Stem cell and Regenerative Medicine Lab Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100730 ChinaState Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics Beijing Proteome Research Center National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing) Beijing Institute of Lifeomics Beijing 102206 ChinaStem cell and Regenerative Medicine Lab Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100730 ChinaDepartment of Dermatology Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases Beijing 100730 ChinaState Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics Beijing Proteome Research Center National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing) Beijing Institute of Lifeomics Beijing 102206 ChinaDepartment of Dermatology Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases Beijing 100730 ChinaStem cell and Regenerative Medicine Lab Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100730 ChinaDepartment of Dermatology Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases Beijing 100730 ChinaDepartment of Dermatology Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases Beijing 100730 ChinaStem cell and Regenerative Medicine Lab Institute of Clinical Medicine State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100730 ChinaAbstract Neurosyphilis (NS) is a clinical condition caused by infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by Treponema pallidum (Tp) that can lead to asymptomatic meningitis and more serious neurological diseases, such as dementia and blindness. However, current studies on the pathogenesis of NS are limited. Here, through the integration analysis of proteomics and single‐cell transcriptomics, Toll‐like/NF‐κB signaling is identified as the key pathway involved in CNS damage caused by Tp. Moreover, monocyte‐derived macrophages are key cells involved in the inflammatory response to Tp in the CNS of NS patients. In addition, it is found that inflammatory cells in peripheral blood may cause neurological damage through disruption of the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) in individuals with NS. Notably, activation of the Toll‐like/NF‐κB signaling pathway, as well as dysregulation of neural function, is likewise validated in an in vitro NS brain organoid model. In conclusion, the results revealed the mechanisms of inflammation‐mediated brain injury in Tp‐induced NS and provided new ideas for the clinical treatment of Tp infection.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406971blood‒brain barrierinflammation‐mediated brain injuryneurosyphilisproteomicssingle‐cell transcriptomics
spellingShingle Qiyu Zhang
Jie Ma
Jia Zhou
Hanlin Zhang
Mansheng Li
Huizi Gong
Yujie Wang
Heyi Zheng
Jun Li
Ling Leng
A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis
Advanced Science
blood‒brain barrier
inflammation‐mediated brain injury
neurosyphilis
proteomics
single‐cell transcriptomics
title A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis
title_full A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis
title_fullStr A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis
title_full_unstemmed A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis
title_short A Study on the Inflammatory Response of the Brain in Neurosyphilis
title_sort study on the inflammatory response of the brain in neurosyphilis
topic blood‒brain barrier
inflammation‐mediated brain injury
neurosyphilis
proteomics
single‐cell transcriptomics
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406971
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