The release of P65 and the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and CD44 into CSF were all augmented by E44 infection and suppressed by both vimentin deficiency and IbeA deletion (Fig 2C, 2D and 2E), which confirmed IbeA-vimentin interaction could aggravate the inflammatory response in E. coli meningitis. Here, CD44 is linked to infectious meningitis.