Dysfunctional Glymphatic System with Disrupted Aquaporin 4 Expression Pattern on Astrocytes Causes Bacterial Product Accumulation in the CSF during Pneumococcal Meningitis

Researchers showed that during pneumococcal meningitis, the glymphatic system did not function because of a detachment of the astrocytic end feet from the blood-brain barrier vascular endothelium, which led to misplacement of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) with the consequent loss of the AQP4 water channel’s functionality.