Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41756779›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology2026

Exosomes in cerebrospinal fluid as biomarkers of bacterial infections of the central nervous system: a pilot study.

Yunfeng Huang, Min Mei, Tianyu Fan, Jinfang Liu, Xin Li, Xin Chen, Shuai Zhang, Yong Gong, Peng Xiang, Jiangliu Yin

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In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 2026. 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

10 authors.

Yunfeng HuangDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
Min MeiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
Tianyu FanDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
Jinfang LiuDepartment of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Xin LiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hunan Brain Hospital (Hunan Second People's Hospital), Changsha, China.
Xin ChenDepartment of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Shuai ZhangDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
Yong GongDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
Peng XiangDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
Jiangliu YinDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Intracranial infections present a significant diagnostic challenge. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the potential of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-derived exosomes as novel diagnostic biomarkers for bacterial central nervous system infections. Methods: We enrolled nine patients from Changsha Central Hospital, forming three groups: culture-confirmed intracranial infection (n=3), cerebral hemorrhage with bloody CSF (n=3), and cerebral hemorrhage with clear CSF (n=3). Exosomes were isolated from CSF via ultracentrifugation and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis to assess morphology, concentration, and particle size. Statistical differences between groups were analyzed. Results: Exosomes were successfully detected in all but one clear-CSF patient. The infected CSF group exhibited a significantly higher mean exosome concentration (1.37e+11 ± 4.40e+10 particles/ml) compared to the bloody (4.08e+9 ± 1.95e+9 particles/ml) and clear CSF groups (1.10e+9 ± 0.56e+9 particles/ml; both p<0.001). Exosome diameter was also significantly larger in infected CSF (167.78 ± 18.65 nm) than in bloody (146.63 ± 6.92 nm) and clear CSF (123.77 ± 13.68 nm; both p<0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that both the concentration and size of CSF exosomes are significantly elevated in patients with intracranial infections. These findings suggest CSF exosomes hold promise as valuable diagnostic biomarkers, though validation in larger cohorts is necessary to confirm their clinical utility.

Indexed as

BiomarkersCentral Nervous System Bacterial InfectionsCerebrospinal FluidExosomesAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMicroscopy, Electron, TransmissionMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsBiomarkersbiomarkerscentral nervous systemcerebrospinal fluidexosomesintracranial infection

Identifiers

PMID41756779
PMCPMC12932475

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