Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics
Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a prevalent form of central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) and the most severe common form of bacterial meningitis in infants and children below the age of 13 years, especially in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Research to identify markers for timely...
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doaj-b8b4d5cd2b0c44cb8c0d44c6362ba0d92020-11-25T01:39:53ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892016-03-011123/48810.17159/sajs.2016/201500864057Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomicsShayne Mason0Carolus J. Reinecke1Regan Solomons2A. Marceline van Furth3Centre for Human Metabonomics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South AfricaCentre for Human Metabonomics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South AfricaDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South AfricaDepartment of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsTuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a prevalent form of central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) and the most severe common form of bacterial meningitis in infants and children below the age of 13 years, especially in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Research to identify markers for timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment outcomes remains high on the agenda for TBM, in respect of which the field of metabolomics is as yet largely unexploited. However, the national Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently established several biotechnology platforms at South African institutions, including one for metabolomics hosted at North-West University. We introduce this national platform for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics by providing an overview of work on TBM. We focus on selected collaborative multidisciplinary approaches to this disease and conclude with the outcomes of an untargeted NMR metabolomics study of cerebrospinal fluid from TBM patients. This study enabled the formulation of a conceptual shuttle representing the unique metabolic plasticity of CNS metabolism towards the energy requirements for the microglia-driven neuroinflammatory responses, of which TBM is one example. From insights generated by this explorative NMR metabolomics investigation, we propose directions for future in-depth research strategies to address this devastating disease. In our view, the timely initiative of the DST, the operational expertise in metabolomics now available and the potential for involving national and international networks in this field of research offers remarkable opportunities for the future of metabolomics in South Africa and for an ever greater understanding of disease mechanisms.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4057TBMNMR spectroscopycerebrospinal fluidCSFhypothesis |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Shayne Mason Carolus J. Reinecke Regan Solomons A. Marceline van Furth |
spellingShingle |
Shayne Mason Carolus J. Reinecke Regan Solomons A. Marceline van Furth Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics South African Journal of Science TBM NMR spectroscopy cerebrospinal fluid CSF hypothesis |
author_facet |
Shayne Mason Carolus J. Reinecke Regan Solomons A. Marceline van Furth |
author_sort |
Shayne Mason |
title |
Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics |
title_short |
Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics |
title_full |
Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics |
title_fullStr |
Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics |
title_full_unstemmed |
Tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: Insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics |
title_sort |
tuberculous meningitis in infants and children: insights from nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics |
publisher |
Academy of Science of South Africa |
series |
South African Journal of Science |
issn |
1996-7489 |
publishDate |
2016-03-01 |
description |
Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a prevalent form of central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) and the most severe common form of bacterial meningitis in infants and children below the age of 13 years, especially in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Research to identify markers for timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment outcomes remains high on the agenda for TBM, in respect of which the field of metabolomics is as yet largely unexploited. However, the national Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently established several biotechnology platforms at South African institutions, including one for metabolomics hosted at North-West University. We introduce this national platform for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics by providing an overview of work on TBM. We focus on selected collaborative multidisciplinary approaches to this disease and conclude with the outcomes of an untargeted NMR metabolomics study of cerebrospinal fluid from TBM patients. This study enabled the formulation of a conceptual shuttle representing the unique metabolic plasticity of CNS metabolism towards the energy requirements for the microglia-driven neuroinflammatory responses, of which TBM is one example. From insights generated by this explorative NMR metabolomics investigation, we propose directions for future in-depth research strategies to address this devastating disease. In our view, the timely initiative of the DST, the operational expertise in metabolomics now available and the potential for involving national and international networks in this field of research offers remarkable opportunities for the future of metabolomics in South Africa and for an ever greater understanding of disease mechanisms. |
topic |
TBM NMR spectroscopy cerebrospinal fluid CSF hypothesis |
url |
https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4057 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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