CLDN5 and infection: In addition to disorganization of cell-junction components, we examined effects of N. meningitidis infection on gene expression of adherens and tight junction proteins in BECs as a potential mechanism for barrier deterioration and found that expression of genes coding for VE-Cadherin, ZO-1 and especially endothelial specific tight junction protein claudin-5 was significantly downregulated in infected iBECs, predominantly after 24 h of infection or later.