The relative role of bacterial cell wall and capsule in the induction of inflammation in pneumococcal meningitis.

The relative contribution of bacterial components to the induction of inflammation during Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis is unknown. Several strains of pneumococci with differences in cell surface characteristics (capsule or cell wall) were compared for the effect on the inflammatory response evoked during infection of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in vivo. The presence of bacterial capsular polysaccharide was not necessary for bacterial growth in CSF in vivo but correlated with greater CSF bacterial density. CSF inflammatory changes began to appear when the bacterial concentration exceeded 10(5) cfu/ml, regardless of the pneumococcal strain. CSF inflammatory changes could be invoked by cisternal instillation of 10(5)-10(6) cell equivalents of whole, heat-killed unencapsulated strains or their isolated cell walls but not by similar concentrations of heat-killed encapsulated strains or isolated capsular polysaccharide. Hypoglycorrhachia was observed only during inflammation caused by live bacteria. The inflammatory response characteristic of naturally acquired pneumococcal meningitis can be reproduced by challenge with both encapsulated and uncapsulated bacteria. The bacterial cell wall appears to be the most potent pneumococcal surface component in inducing CSF inflammation.