The relationship between miR-340 and NOD2 may play an important role in Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced meningitis

Abstract Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the central nervous system in children, with a high mortality rate of 12 % - 35 %. Two-thirds of bacterial meningitis cases in Europe and the United States are caused byStreptococcus pneumoniae. In this study, the overexpression of miR-340 and the knockdown of NOD2 could attenuate the microglial inflammation induced byStreptococcus pneumoniaeand improve the nerve function inStreptococcus pneumoniae-induced meningitis mice. In contrast, inhibited miR-340 and overexpression of NOD2 had the opposite effects. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and recovery experiments showed that miR-340 could reduce the microglial inflammation induced byStreptococcus pneumoniaeand improve the neurological damage caused byStreptococcus pneumoniaewith regulating the expression of NOD2. MiR-340 and NOD2 may become the site of targeted therapy forStreptococcus pneumoniaemeningitis.