Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40833713›Full record

SynthesisJournal of molecular neuroscience : MN2025

Meta-analysis of RNA-seq Data Identifies Involvement of Interferon-Induced Genes to Facilitate Blood-Brain Barrier Traversal of Neuroinvasive Pathogens.

Amod Kulkarni, Dhananjay B Alagundagi, Mangesh Bhide, Prakash Patil

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Amod KulkarniCentral Research Laboratory, NITTE (Deemed to Be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Deralakatte, Mangalore, 575018, Karnataka, India.
Dhananjay B AlagundagiCentral Research Laboratory, NITTE (Deemed to Be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Deralakatte, Mangalore, 575018, Karnataka, India.
Mangesh BhideLaboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181, Košice, Slovakia.
Prakash PatilCentral Research Laboratory, NITTE (Deemed to Be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Deralakatte, Mangalore, 575018, Karnataka, India. prakashpatil@nitte.edu.in.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeuroinvasive pathogens are capable of breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and causing central nervous system infections. Although the response of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs), the forefront cells of BBB has been extensively studied, the roles of astrocytes and pericytes in modulating BBB integrity during infection remain less defined.

aimsThe study aims for a meta-analysis of RNA-seq data to compare the transcriptional response of hBMECs alone and in co-culture with astrocytes and pericytes (BBB-spheroids) following infection with Neisseria meningitidis and Borrelia bavariensis. Subsequently, identifying the pathogen-specific gene signatures that regulates the signalling pathways associated with infection and BBB disruption.

methodsUnique and shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of hBMECs and BBB-spheroids were identified and analysed for functional enrichment using DAVID. Protein-protein interaction networks were constructed and analysed in Cytoscape using MCODE and cytoHubba to identify infection-related hub genes.

resultsA large proportion of DEGs were unique to each BBB model during infection, 49% in Neisseria and 66% in Borrelia infection, whereas only 4.9% were shared. hBMECs predominantly expressed defence-related genes, whereas BBB-spheroids expressed genes linked to barrier function. Notably, IFIH1, IFIT1, IFIT3, ISG15, MX1, OAS1, and RSAD2 were identified as regulators of the BBB's transcriptomic response to infection.

conclusionsThe meta-analysis highlights distinct yet complementary roles of endothelial cells and the supporting pericytes and astrocytes in BBB regulation to bacterial invasion. The identified hub genes may serve as key regulators of infection-driven inflammation and form potential diagnostic or prognostic targets.

Indexed as

Blood-Brain BarrierInterferonsAstrocytesBorreliaCells, CulturedEndothelial CellsHumansNeisseria meningitidisPericytesProtein Interaction MapsRNA-SeqTranscriptomeInterferonsBlood–brain barrierBrain microvascular endothelial cellsHub-genesInflammationNeuroinvasive pathogensSpheroids

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.