Neisseria meningitidis. the causative agent of meningitis crosses the blood-brain barrier through its interactions with the Beta-adrenergic Receptor-2 ( Beta2-AR) of the brain microvascular endothelial cells. Type IV pili of the bacteria interact and attach with both an adhesion receptor and Beta2-AR, which results in the formation of cortical plaques. These cortical plaques facilitate the opening of cell-cell gap junctions through which the bacteria breach the blood-brain barrier.
Therefore, if the number of Beta2-AR is more per cell, more bacteria would be able to attach to the cells and thereby breach the blood-brain barrier. So a person with 5000 Beta2-AR / cell would be less sensitive than a person with 10000 Beta2-AR /cell. B would be more sensitive.
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