Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway participate in stroke-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier.However,the potential links between them following ischemic strok...Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway participate in stroke-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier.However,the potential links between them following ischemic stroke remain largely unknown.The present study found that cerebral ischemia leads to oxidative stress and repression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Meanwhile,Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation by the pharmacological inhibito r,TWS119,relieved oxidative stress,increased the levels of cytochrome P4501B1(CYP1B1)and tight junction-associated proteins(zonula occludens-1[ZO-1],occludin and claudin-5),as well as brain microvascular density in cerebral ischemia rats.Moreove r,rat brain microvascular endothelial cells that underwent oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation displayed intense oxidative stress,suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway,aggravated cell apoptosis,downregulated CYP1B1and tight junction protein levels,and inhibited cell prolife ration and migration.Overexpression ofβ-catenin or knockdown ofβ-catenin and CYP1B1 genes in rat brain mic rovascular endothelial cells at least partly ameliorated or exacerbated these effects,respectively.In addition,small interfering RNA-mediatedβ-catenin silencing decreased CYP1B1 expression,whereas CYP1B1 knoc kdown did not change the levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3β,Wnt-3a,andβ-catenin proteins in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells after oxygen glucose deprivatio n/reoxygenation.Thus,the data suggest that CYP1B1 can be regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling,and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin/CYP1B1 pathway contributes to alleviation of oxidative stress,increased tight junction levels,and protection of the blood-brain barrier against ischemia/hypoxia-induced injury.展开更多
Cerebral small vessel disease is a neurological disease that affects the brain microvasculature and which is commonly observed among the elderly.Although at first it was considered innocuous,small vessel disease is no...Cerebral small vessel disease is a neurological disease that affects the brain microvasculature and which is commonly observed among the elderly.Although at first it was considered innocuous,small vessel disease is nowadays regarded as one of the major vascular causes of dementia.Radiological signs of small vessel disease include small subcortical infarcts,white matter magnetic resonance imaging hyperintensities,lacunes,enlarged perivascular spaces,cerebral microbleeds,and brain atrophy;however,great heterogeneity in clinical symptoms is observed in small vessel disease patients.The pathophysiology of these lesions has been linked to multiple processes,such as hypoperfusion,defective cerebrovascular reactivity,and blood-brain barrier dysfunction.Notably,studies on small vessel disease suggest that blood-brain barrier dysfunction is among the earliest mechanisms in small vessel disease and might contribute to the development of the hallmarks of small vessel disease.Therefore,the purpose of this review is to provide a new foundation in the study of small vessel disease pathology.First,we discuss the main structural domains and functions of the blood-brain barrier.Secondly,we review the most recent evidence on blood-brain barrier dysfunction linked to small vessel disease.Finally,we conclude with a discussion on future perspectives and propose potential treatment targets and interventions.展开更多
The blood-brain barrier is a unique function of the microvasculature in the brain parenchyma that maintains homeostasis in the central nervous system.Blood-brain barrier breakdown is a common pathology in various neur...The blood-brain barrier is a unique function of the microvasculature in the brain parenchyma that maintains homeostasis in the central nervous system.Blood-brain barrier breakdown is a common pathology in various neurological diseases,such as Alzheimer’s disease,stroke,multiple sclerosis,and Parkinson’s disease.Traditionally,it has been considered a consequence of neuroinflammation or neurodegeneration,but recent advanced imaging techniques and detailed studies in animal models show that blood-brain barrier breakdown occurs early in the disease process and may precede neuronal loss.Thus,the blood-brain barrier is attractive as a potential therapeutic target for neurological diseases that lack effective therapeutics.To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying blood-brain barrier breakdown and translate them into therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases,there is a growing demand for experimental models of human origin that allow for functional assessments.Recently,several human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier models have been established and various in vitro blood-brain barrier models using microdevices have been proposed.Especially in the Alzheimer’s disease field,the human evidence for blood-brain barrier dysfunction has been demonstrated and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier models have suggested the putative molecular mechanisms of pathological blood-brain barrier.In this review,we summarize recent evidence of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease from pathological analyses,imaging studies,animal models,and stem cell sources.Additionally,we discuss the potential future directions for blood-brain barrier research.展开更多
Post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation,which is associated with blood-brain barrier disruption.Brain microvascular endothelial cells are a major component of the bloo...Post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation,which is associated with blood-brain barrier disruption.Brain microvascular endothelial cells are a major component of the blood-brain barrier.Intercellular mitochondrial transfer has emerged as a novel paradigm for repairing cells with mitochondrial dysfunction.In this study,we first investigated whether mitochondrial transfer exists between brain microvascular endothelial cells,and then investigated the effects of post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia on mitochondrial transfer between brain microvascular endothelial cells.We found that healthy brain microvascular endothelial cells can transfer intact mitochondria to oxygen glucose deprivation-injured brain microvascular endothelial cells.However,post-oxygen glucose deprivation hyperglycemia hindered mitochondrial transfer and exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction.We established an in vitro brain microvascular endothelial cell model of the blood-brain barrier.We found that post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia reduced the overall energy metabolism levels of brain microvascular endothelial cells and increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier.In a clinical study,we retrospectively analyzed the relationship between post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia and the severity of hemorrhagic transformation.We found that post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia serves as an independent predictor of severe hemorrhagic transformation.These findings suggest that post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia can aggravate disruption of the blood-brain barrier by inhibiting mitochondrial transfer.展开更多
Background:Glioblastoma multiforme(GBM)is recognized as the most lethal and most highly invasive tumor.The high likelihood of treatment failure arises fromthe presence of the blood-brain barrier(BBB)and stemcells arou...Background:Glioblastoma multiforme(GBM)is recognized as the most lethal and most highly invasive tumor.The high likelihood of treatment failure arises fromthe presence of the blood-brain barrier(BBB)and stemcells around GBM,which avert the entry of chemotherapeutic drugs into the tumormass.Objective:Recently,several researchers have designed novel nanocarrier systems like liposomes,dendrimers,metallic nanoparticles,nanodiamonds,and nanorobot approaches,allowing drugs to infiltrate the BBB more efficiently,opening up innovative avenues to prevail over therapy problems and radiation therapy.Methods:Relevant literature for this manuscript has been collected from a comprehensive and systematic search of databases,for example,PubMed,Science Direct,Google Scholar,and others,using specific keyword combinations,including“glioblastoma,”“brain tumor,”“nanocarriers,”and several others.Conclusion:This review also provides deep insights into recent advancements in nanocarrier-based formulations and technologies for GBM management.Elucidation of various scientific advances in conjunction with encouraging findings concerning the future perspectives and challenges of nanocarriers for effective brain tumor management has also been discussed.展开更多
Cerebral edema caused by blood-brain barrier injury after intracerebral hemorrhage is an important factor leading to poor prognosis.Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cell exosomes(hiPSC-NSC-Exos)...Cerebral edema caused by blood-brain barrier injury after intracerebral hemorrhage is an important factor leading to poor prognosis.Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cell exosomes(hiPSC-NSC-Exos)have shown potential for brain injury repair in central nervous system diseases.In this study,we explored the impact of hiPSC-NSC-Exos on blood-brain barrier preservation and the underlying mechanism.Our results indicated that intranasal delivery of hiPSC-NSC-Exos mitigated neurological deficits,enhanced blood-brain barrier integrity,and reduced leukocyte infiltration in a mouse model of intracerebral hemorrhage.Additionally,hiPSC-NSC-Exos decreased immune cell infiltration,activated astrocytes,and decreased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines like monocyte chemoattractant protein-1,macrophage inflammatory protein-1α,and tumor necrosis factor-αpost-intracerebral hemorrhage,thereby improving the inflammatory microenvironment.RNA sequencing indicated that hiPSC-NSC-Exo activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in astrocytes and decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 secretion,thereby improving blood-brain barrier integrity.Treatment with the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 or the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 neutralizing agent C1142 abolished these effects.In summary,our findings suggest that hiPSC-NSC-Exos maintains blood-brain barrier integrity,in part by downregulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 secretion through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in astrocytes.展开更多
The challenge in the clinical treatment of Parkinson's disease lies in the lack of disease-modifying therapies that can halt or slow down the progression. Peptide drugs, such as exenatide (Exe), with potential dis...The challenge in the clinical treatment of Parkinson's disease lies in the lack of disease-modifying therapies that can halt or slow down the progression. Peptide drugs, such as exenatide (Exe), with potential disease-modifying efficacy, have difficulty in crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) due to their large molecular weight. Herein, we fabricate multi-functionalized lipid nanoparticles (LNP) Lpc-BoSA/CSO with BBB targeting, permeability-increasing and responsive release functions. Borneol is chemically bonded with stearic acid and, as one of the components of Lpc-BoSA/CSO, is used to increase BBB permeability. Immunofluorescence results of brain tissue of 15-month-old C57BL/6 mice show that Lpc-BoSA/CSO disperses across the BBB into brain parenchyma, and the amount is 4.21 times greater than that of conventional LNP. Motor symptoms of mice in Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe group are significantly improved, and the content of dopamine is 1.85 times (substantia nigra compacta) and 1.49 times (striatum) that of PD mice. α-Synuclein expression and Lewy bodies deposition are reduced to 51.85% and 44.72% of PD mice, respectively. Immunohistochemical mechanism studies show AKT expression in Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe is 4.23 times that of PD mice and GSK-3β expression is reduced to 18.41%. Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe could reduce the production of α-synuclein and Lewy bodies through AKT/GSK-3β pathway, and effectively prevent the progressive deterioration of Parkinson's disease. In summary, Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe increases the entry of exenatide into brain and promotes its clinical application for Parkinson's disease therapy.展开更多
The functional and structural integrity of the blood-brain barrier is crucial in maintaining homeostasis in the brain microenvironment;however,the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and function of the bloo...The functional and structural integrity of the blood-brain barrier is crucial in maintaining homeostasis in the brain microenvironment;however,the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and function of the blood-brain barrier remain poorly understood.The major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A has been identified as a key regulator of blood-brain barrier function.It plays a critical role in promoting and maintaining the formation and functional stability of the blood-brain barrier,in addition to the transport of lipids,such as docosahexaenoic acid,across the blood-brain barrier.Furthermore,an increasing number of studies have suggested that major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A is involved in the molecular mechanisms of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in a variety of neurological diseases;however,little is known regarding the mechanisms by which major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A affects the blood-brain barrier.This paper provides a comprehensive and systematic review of the close relationship between major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A proteins and the blood-brain barrier,including their basic structures and functions,cross-linking between major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A and the blood-brain barrier,and the in-depth studies on lipid transport and the regulation of blood-brain barrier permeability.This comprehensive systematic review contributes to an in-depth understanding of the important role of major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A proteins in maintaining the structure and function of the blood-brain barrier and the research progress to date.This will not only help to elucidate the pathogenesis of neurological diseases,improve the accuracy of laboratory diagnosis,and optimize clinical treatment strategies,but it may also play an important role in prognostic monitoring.In addition,the effects of major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A on blood-brain barrier leakage in various diseases and the research progress on cross-blood-brain barrier drug delivery are summarized.This review may contribute to the development of new approaches for the treatment of neurological diseases.展开更多
BACKGROUND Cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)is a prevalent cerebrovascular disease in clinical practice that is often associated with macrovascular disease.A clear understanding of the underlying causes of CSVD rema...BACKGROUND Cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)is a prevalent cerebrovascular disease in clinical practice that is often associated with macrovascular disease.A clear understanding of the underlying causes of CSVD remains elusive.AIM To explore the association between intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)and blood-brain barrier(BBB)penetration in CSVD.METHODS This study included patients admitted to Fuyang People’s Hospital and Fuyang Community(Anhui,China)between December 2021 and March 2022.The study population comprised 142 patients,including 80 in the CSVD group and 62 in the control group.Depression was present in 53 out of 80 patients with CSVD.Multisequence magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI were applied in patients to determine the brain volume,cortical thickness,and cortical area of each brain region.Moreover,neuropsychological tests including the Hamilton depression scale,mini-mental state examination,and Montreal cognitive assessment basic scores were performed.RESULTS The multivariable analysis showed that age[P=0.011;odds ratio(OR)=0.930,95%confidence interval(CI):0.880-0.983]and ICAM-1 levels(P=0.023;OR=1.007,95%CI:1.001-1.013)were associated with CSVD.Two regions of interest(ROIs;ROI3 and ROI4)in the white matter showed significant(both P<0.001;95%CI:0.419-0.837 and 0.366-0.878)differences between the two groups,whereas only ROI1 in the gray matter showed signi-ficant difference(P=0.046;95%CI:0.007-0.680)between the two groups.ICAM-1 was significantly correlated(all P<0.05)with cortical thickness in multiple brain regions in the CSVD group.CONCLUSION This study revealed that ICAM-1 levels were independently associated with CSVD.ICAM-1 may be associated with cortical thickness in the brain,predominantly in the white matter,and a significant increase in BBB permeability,proposing the involvement of ICAM-1 in BBB destruction.展开更多
Increasing evidence demonstrated that the blood-brain barrier(BBB)was involved in developing cerebral amyloid angiopathy(CAA).The BBB participates in the neurovascular coupling and regulates the transport of substance...Increasing evidence demonstrated that the blood-brain barrier(BBB)was involved in developing cerebral amyloid angiopathy(CAA).The BBB participates in the neurovascular coupling and regulates the transport of substances,which is closely related to neurodegenerative diseases.In CAA,the deposition of amyloid beta(Aβ)in arteries,capillaries,and arterioles of meninges and cerebral cortex results in the destruction of the BBB,chronic inflammatory response,chronic cerebral hypoperfusion,and dysfunction of the neurovascular unit,which eventually leads to neurodegeneration.At the same time,CAA is an age-related disease.Patients with CAA often have some risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases,such as hypertension and diabetes,which can further aggravate the damage to the BBB.Thus,it is of great significance to pay attention to the BBB in the pathogenesis and future intervention targets of CAA.Therefore,this manuscript reviewed the dysfunction of the BBB in CAA.展开更多
Background:Vascular impairment is one of the major contributors to dementia.We aimed to identify blood biomarkers suggestive of potential impairment of the blood-brain barrier(BBB)in subjects with Alzheimer’s disease...Background:Vascular impairment is one of the major contributors to dementia.We aimed to identify blood biomarkers suggestive of potential impairment of the blood-brain barrier(BBB)in subjects with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Methods:We used administrative data from the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure Resource Center to study both inpatients and outpatients with AD.Plasma samples from healthy control and AD individuals were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and proteomics approaches to identify differentially expressed proteins.Bioinformatic analysis was applied to explore significantly enriched pathways.Results:In the same cohort of patients with AD,we found twice number of subjects with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in the two-year period after the onset of AD,compared to the number of subjects with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in the two-year period prior to AD onset.Different pathways related to BBB,like cell adhesion,extracellular matrix organization and Wnt signaling,were activated and differentially expressed proteins such as ADAM22,PDGFR-α,DKK-4,Neucrin and RSOP-1 were identified.Moreover,matrix metalloproteinase-9,which is implicated in causing degradation of basal lamina and BBB disruption,was significantly increased in the plasma of AD patients.Conclusions:Alteration of proteins found in AD subjects could provide new insights into biomarkers regulating permeability and BBB integrity.展开更多
Blood-brain barrier disruption occurs in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.Recent studies indicate a link between blood-brain barrier dysfunction and cognitive decline and might accelerate Alzheimer’s disease ...Blood-brain barrier disruption occurs in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.Recent studies indicate a link between blood-brain barrier dysfunction and cognitive decline and might accelerate Alzheimer’s disease progression.Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system with important roles in the structural and functional maintenance of the blood-brain barrier.For example,astrocytic cove rage around endothelial cells with perivascular endfeet and secretion of homeostatic soluble factors are two major underlying mechanisms of astrocytic physiological functions.Astrocyte activation is often observed in Alzheimer’s disease patients,with astrocytes expressing a high level of glial fibrillary acid protein detected around amyloid-beta plaque with the elevated phagocytic ability for amyloid-beta.Structural alte rations in Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes including swollen endfeet,somata shrinkage and possess loss contribute to disruption in vascular integrity at capillary and arte rioles levels.In addition,Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes are skewed into proinflammatory and oxidative profiles with increased secretions of vasoactive mediators inducing endothelial junction disruption and immune cell infiltration.In this review,we summarize the findings of existing literature on the relevance of astrocyte alte ration in response to amyloid pathology in the context of blood-brain barrier dysfunction.First,we briefly describe the physiological roles of astrocytes in blood-brain barrier maintenance.Then,we review the clinical evidence of astrocyte pathology in Alzheimer’s disease patients and the preclinical evidence in animal and cellular models.We further discuss the structural changes of blood-brain barrier that correlates with Alzheimer’s disease astrocyte.Finally,we evaluate the roles of soluble factors secreted by Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes,providing potential molecular mechanisms underlying blood-brain barrier modulation.We conclude with a perspective on investigating the therapeutic potential of targeting astrocytes for blood-brain barrier protection in Alzheimer’s disease.展开更多
The blood-brain barrier is a unique property of central nervous system blood vessels that protects sensitive central nervous system cells from potentially harmful blood components.The mechanistic basis of this barrier...The blood-brain barrier is a unique property of central nervous system blood vessels that protects sensitive central nervous system cells from potentially harmful blood components.The mechanistic basis of this barrier is found at multiple levels,including the adherens and tight junction proteins that tightly bind adjacent endothelial cells and the influence of neighboring pericytes,microglia,and astrocyte endfeet.In addition,extracellular matrix components of the vascular basement membrane play a critical role in establishing and maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity,not only by providing an adhesive substrate for blood-brain barrier cells to adhere to,but also by providing guidance cues that strongly influence vascular cell behavior.The extracellular matrix protein laminin is one of the most abundant components of the basement membrane,and several lines of evidence suggest that it plays a key role in directing blood-brain barrier behavior.In this review,we describe the basic structure of laminin and its receptors,the expression patterns of these molecules in central nervous system blood vessels and how they are altered in disease states,and most importantly,how genetic deletion of different laminin isoforms or their receptors reveals the contribution of these molecules to blood-brain barrier function and integrity.Finally,we discuss some of the important unanswered questions in the field and provide a“to-do”list of some of the critical outstanding experiments.展开更多
Remyelination failure is one of the main characteristics of multiple sclerosis and is potentially correlated with disease progression.Previous research has shown that the extracellular matrix is associated with remyel...Remyelination failure is one of the main characteristics of multiple sclerosis and is potentially correlated with disease progression.Previous research has shown that the extracellular matrix is associated with remyelination failure because remodeling of the matrix often fails in both chronic and progressive multiple sclerosis.Fibronectin aggregates are assembled and persistently exist in chronic multiple sclerosis,thus inhibiting remyelination.Although many advances have been made in the mechanisms and treatment of multiple sclerosis,it remains very difficult for drugs to reach pathological brain tissues;this is due to the complexity of brain structure and function,especially the existence of the blood-brain barrier.Therefore,herein,we review the effects of fibronectin aggregates on multiple sclerosis and the efficacy of different forms of drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier in the treatment of this disease.展开更多
Ischemic stroke can cause blood-brain barrier(BBB)injury,which worsens brain damage induced by stroke.Abnormal expression of tight junction proteins in endothelial cells(ECs)can increase intracellular space and BBB le...Ischemic stroke can cause blood-brain barrier(BBB)injury,which worsens brain damage induced by stroke.Abnormal expression of tight junction proteins in endothelial cells(ECs)can increase intracellular space and BBB leakage.Selective inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase,the negative regulatory substrate of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase(MKP)-1,improves tight junction protein function in ECs,and genetic deletion of MKP-1 aggravates ischemic brain injury.However,whether the latter affects BBB integrity,and the cell type-specific mechanism underlying this process,remain unclear.In this study,we established an adult male mouse model of ischemic stroke by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 60 minutes and overexpressed MKP-1 in ECs on the injured side via lentiviral transfection before stroke.We found that overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs reduced infarct volume,reduced the level of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and chemokine C-C motif ligand-2,inhibited vascular injury,and promoted the recovery of sensorimotor and memory/cognitive function.Overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs also inhibited the activation of cerebral ischemia-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)1/2 and the downregulation of occludin expression.Finally,to investigate the mechanism by which MKP-1 exerted these functions in ECs,we established an ischemic stroke model in vitro by depriving the primary endothelial cell of oxygen and glucose,and pharmacologically inhibited the activity of MKP-1 and ERK1/2.Our findings suggest that MKP-1 inhibition aggravates oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced cell death,cell monolayer leakage,and downregulation of occludin expression,and that inhibiting ERK1/2 can reverse these effects.In addition,co-inhibition of MKP-1 and ERK1/2 exhibited similar effects to inhibition of ERK1/2.These findings suggest that overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs can prevent ischemia-induced occludin downregulation and cell death via deactivating ERK1/2,thereby protecting the integrity of BBB,alleviating brain injury,and improving post-stroke prognosis.展开更多
OBJECTIVE To explore mecha⁃nisms of imperatorin on regulating P-glycoprotein(P-gp)in blood-brain barrier(BBB)based on net⁃work pharmacology combined with in vitro experi⁃ment.METHODS Drug targets were predicted using ...OBJECTIVE To explore mecha⁃nisms of imperatorin on regulating P-glycoprotein(P-gp)in blood-brain barrier(BBB)based on net⁃work pharmacology combined with in vitro experi⁃ment.METHODS Drug targets were predicted using the Pharmapper and Swiss targets data⁃bases;disease targets were obtained through the Genecards database;intersections between drugs and disease targets were screened by Cytoscape software;the obtained core targets were used to construct protein-protein interaction(PPI)network,gene ontology(GO)functions,and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis.The effects of imperatorin(20,50,100μmol·L^(-1))on P-gp activity were monitored in hCMEC/D3 in vitro BBB model,and the effects of imperatorin on the expression of target proteins were verified using Western blot method.RESULTS 55 drug targets and 3102 disease targets were obtained from the network pharmacology screening,and 37 core targets were obtained after the combination.Enrichment analysis showed that core targets were closely related to chemical synaptic trans⁃mission regulation,neurotransmitter receptor activity,protein kinase regulation activity,G proteincoupled receptor signaling pathway,neural active ligand receptor interaction pathway,PI3K-Akt sig⁃naling pathway,VEGF signaling pathway,etc..In vitro experimental validation suggested that all tested concentration groups of imperatorin signifi⁃cantly reduced the activity and expression of P-gp,which were achieved by significantly downregu⁃lating the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt,and repressing the expression of VEGFR2 pro⁃tein.CONCLUSION Network pharmacology was used to predict the core targets and signaling pathways of imperatorin on regulating P-gp in BBB and relevant validation was conducted through in vitro experiments,providing a refer⁃ence basis for further exploration of the mecha⁃nisms of imperatorin on regulating P-gp in BBB.展开更多
Background:Biochanin A is an excellent dietary isoflavone that has the concomitant function of both medicine and foodstuff.The attenuation function of biochanin A on blood-brain barrier(BBB)damage induced by cerebral ...Background:Biochanin A is an excellent dietary isoflavone that has the concomitant function of both medicine and foodstuff.The attenuation function of biochanin A on blood-brain barrier(BBB)damage induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion remains unclear.Methods:C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 1 h middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)followed by 24 h reperfusion.The infarct volume of the brain was stained by TTC,while leakage of the brain was quantitatively stained by Evans blue,and the neurologic deficit score was measured.Microglial-induced morphologic changes were observed via immunofluorescence staining,and rolling and adhering leukocytes in venules were observed via two-photon imaging,while the inner fluorescein isothiocyanate-albumin of venules were compared with those of surrounding interstitial area through venular albumin leakage.Results:The attenuation effect of biochanin A on tight junction injury was compared in ischemia-reperfusion mice or conventional knockdown of leucine-richα2-glycoprotein 1(Lrg1)mice.Biochanin A could ameliorate BBB injury in mice with cerebral ischemiareperfusion in a dose-dependent manner by strengthening the immunostaining volume of occludin,claudin-5,and zonula occludens-1.The amoeba morphologic changes of microglial combined with the elevated expression of Lrg1 could be relieved under the treatment of biochanin A.Biochanin A played a countervailing role on the rolling leukocytes in the vessel,while the leakage of blood vessels was reduced.Biochanin A diminished its functions to further improved attenuation for tight junction injury on conventional Lrg1-knockout mice,as well as the inhibition effects on TGF-β1,and the phosphorylation of suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic 2(Smad2)/Smad2 via western blot assay.Conclusion:Biochanin A could alleviate tight junction injury induced by cerebral ischemiareperfusion and blocked the Lrg1/TGF-β/Smad2 pathway to modulate leukocyte migration patterns.展开更多
BACKGROUND Induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs)show great ability to differentiate into any tissue,making them attractive candidates for pathophysiological investigations.The rise of organ-on-a-chip technology in the...BACKGROUND Induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs)show great ability to differentiate into any tissue,making them attractive candidates for pathophysiological investigations.The rise of organ-on-a-chip technology in the past century has introduced a novel way to make in vitro cell cultures that more closely resemble their in vivo environments,both structural and functionally.The literature still lacks consensus on the best conditions to mimic the blood-brain barrier(BBB)for drug screening and other personalized therapies.The development of models based on BBB-on-achip using iPSCs is promising and is a potential alternative to the use of animals in research.AIM To analyze the literature for BBB models on-a-chip involving iPSCs,describe the microdevices,the BBB in vitro construction,and applications.METHODS We searched for original articles indexed in PubMed and Scopus that used iPSCs to mimic the BBB and its microenvironment in microfluidic devices.Thirty articles were identified,wherein only 14 articles were finally selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Data compiled from the selected articles were organized into four topics:(1)Microfluidic devices design and fabrication;(2)characteristics of the iPSCs used in the BBB model and their differentiation conditions;(3)BBB-on-a-chip reconstruction process;and(4)applications of BBB microfluidic three-dimensional models using iPSCs.RESULTS This study showed that BBB models with iPSCs in microdevices are quite novel in scientific research.Important technological advances in this area regarding the use of commercial BBB-on-a-chip were identified in the most recent articles by different research groups.Conventional polydimethylsiloxane was the most used material to fabricate in-house chips(57%),whereas few studies(14.3%)adopted polymethylmethacrylate.Half the models were constructed using a porous membrane made of diverse materials to separate the channels.iPSC sources were divergent among the studies,but the main line used was IMR90-C4 from human fetal lung fibroblast(41.2%).The cells were differentiated through diverse and complex processes either to endothelial or neural cells,wherein only one study promoted differentiation inside the chip.The construction process of the BBB-on-a-chip involved previous coating mostly with fibronectin/collagen Ⅳ(39.3%),followed by cell seeding in single cultures(36%)or co-cultures(64%)under controlled conditions,aimed at developing an in vitro BBB that mimics the human BBB for future applications.CONCLUSION This review evidenced technological advances in the construction of BBB models using iPSCs.Nonetheless,a definitive BBB-on-a-chip has not yet been achieved,hindering the applicability of the models.展开更多
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage remains serious hemorrhagic stroke with high morbidities and mortalities.Aneurysm rupture causes arterial bleeding-induced mechanical brain tissue injuries and elevated intracranial ...Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage remains serious hemorrhagic stroke with high morbidities and mortalities.Aneurysm rupture causes arterial bleeding-induced mechanical brain tissue injuries and elevated intracranial pressure,followed by global cerebral ischemia.Post-subarachnoid hemorrhage ischemia,tissue injuries as well as extravasated blood components and the breakdown products activate microglia,astrocytes and Toll-like receptor 4,and disrupt blood-brain barrier associated with the induction of many inflammatory and other cascades.Once blood-brain barrier is disrupted,brain tissues are directly exposed to harmful blood contents and immune cells,which aggravate brain injuries furthermore.Blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage may be developed by a variety of mechanisms including endothelial cell apoptosis and disruption of tight junction proteins.Many molecules and pathways have been reported to disrupt the blood-brain barrier after subarachnoid hemorrhage,but the exact mechanisms remain unclear.Multiple independent and/or interconnected signaling pathways may be involved in blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage.This review provides recent understandings of the mechanisms and the potential therapeutic targets of blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage.展开更多
The purpose of this work was to investigate whether, by intranasal administration, the nerve growth factor bypasses the blood-brain barrier and turns over the spinal cord neurons and if such therapeutic approach could...The purpose of this work was to investigate whether, by intranasal administration, the nerve growth factor bypasses the blood-brain barrier and turns over the spinal cord neurons and if such therapeutic approach could be of value in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats with intact and injured spinal cord received daily intranasal nerve growth factor administration in both nostrils for 1 day or for 3 consecutive weeks. We found an in-creased content of nerve growth factor and enhanced expression of nerve growth factor receptor in the spinal cord 24 hours after a single intranasal administration of nerve growth factor in healthy rats, while daily treatment for 3 weeks in a model of spinal cord injury improved the deifcits in locomotor behaviour and increased spinal content of both nerve growth factor and nerve growth factor receptors. These outcomes suggest that the intranasal nerve growth factor bypasses blood-brain barrier and affects spinal cord neurons in spinal cord injury. They also suggest exploiting the possible therapeutic role of intranasally delivered nerve growth factor for the neuroprotection of damaged spinal nerve cells.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81771250(to XC)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province,Nos.2020J011059(to XC),2020R1011004(to YW),2021J01374(to XZ)+1 种基金Medical Innovation Project of Fujian Province,No.2021 CXB002(to XC)Fujian Research and Training Grants for Young and Middle-aged Leaders in Healthcare(to XC)。
文摘Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway participate in stroke-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier.However,the potential links between them following ischemic stroke remain largely unknown.The present study found that cerebral ischemia leads to oxidative stress and repression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Meanwhile,Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation by the pharmacological inhibito r,TWS119,relieved oxidative stress,increased the levels of cytochrome P4501B1(CYP1B1)and tight junction-associated proteins(zonula occludens-1[ZO-1],occludin and claudin-5),as well as brain microvascular density in cerebral ischemia rats.Moreove r,rat brain microvascular endothelial cells that underwent oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation displayed intense oxidative stress,suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway,aggravated cell apoptosis,downregulated CYP1B1and tight junction protein levels,and inhibited cell prolife ration and migration.Overexpression ofβ-catenin or knockdown ofβ-catenin and CYP1B1 genes in rat brain mic rovascular endothelial cells at least partly ameliorated or exacerbated these effects,respectively.In addition,small interfering RNA-mediatedβ-catenin silencing decreased CYP1B1 expression,whereas CYP1B1 knoc kdown did not change the levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3β,Wnt-3a,andβ-catenin proteins in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells after oxygen glucose deprivatio n/reoxygenation.Thus,the data suggest that CYP1B1 can be regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling,and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin/CYP1B1 pathway contributes to alleviation of oxidative stress,increased tight junction levels,and protection of the blood-brain barrier against ischemia/hypoxia-induced injury.
基金supported by China Scholarship Council(202208210093,to RJ)。
文摘Cerebral small vessel disease is a neurological disease that affects the brain microvasculature and which is commonly observed among the elderly.Although at first it was considered innocuous,small vessel disease is nowadays regarded as one of the major vascular causes of dementia.Radiological signs of small vessel disease include small subcortical infarcts,white matter magnetic resonance imaging hyperintensities,lacunes,enlarged perivascular spaces,cerebral microbleeds,and brain atrophy;however,great heterogeneity in clinical symptoms is observed in small vessel disease patients.The pathophysiology of these lesions has been linked to multiple processes,such as hypoperfusion,defective cerebrovascular reactivity,and blood-brain barrier dysfunction.Notably,studies on small vessel disease suggest that blood-brain barrier dysfunction is among the earliest mechanisms in small vessel disease and might contribute to the development of the hallmarks of small vessel disease.Therefore,the purpose of this review is to provide a new foundation in the study of small vessel disease pathology.First,we discuss the main structural domains and functions of the blood-brain barrier.Secondly,we review the most recent evidence on blood-brain barrier dysfunction linked to small vessel disease.Finally,we conclude with a discussion on future perspectives and propose potential treatment targets and interventions.
基金supported by the Uehara Memorial Foundation,JSPS under the Joint Research Program implemented in association with SNSF(JRPs),Grant No.JPJSJRP20221507 and KAKENHI Grant No.22K15711,JST FOREST Program(Grant No.JPMJFR2269,Japan)2022 iPS Academia Japan Grant,Life Science Foundation of Japan,Kato Memorial Bioscience Foundation,THE YUKIHIKO MIYATA MEMORIAL TRUST FOR ALS RESEARCH,the ICHIRO KANEHARA FOUNDATION,Takeda Science Foundation,and the YAMAGUCHI UNIVERSITY FUNDATION(all to HN).
文摘The blood-brain barrier is a unique function of the microvasculature in the brain parenchyma that maintains homeostasis in the central nervous system.Blood-brain barrier breakdown is a common pathology in various neurological diseases,such as Alzheimer’s disease,stroke,multiple sclerosis,and Parkinson’s disease.Traditionally,it has been considered a consequence of neuroinflammation or neurodegeneration,but recent advanced imaging techniques and detailed studies in animal models show that blood-brain barrier breakdown occurs early in the disease process and may precede neuronal loss.Thus,the blood-brain barrier is attractive as a potential therapeutic target for neurological diseases that lack effective therapeutics.To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying blood-brain barrier breakdown and translate them into therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases,there is a growing demand for experimental models of human origin that allow for functional assessments.Recently,several human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier models have been established and various in vitro blood-brain barrier models using microdevices have been proposed.Especially in the Alzheimer’s disease field,the human evidence for blood-brain barrier dysfunction has been demonstrated and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier models have suggested the putative molecular mechanisms of pathological blood-brain barrier.In this review,we summarize recent evidence of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease from pathological analyses,imaging studies,animal models,and stem cell sources.Additionally,we discuss the potential future directions for blood-brain barrier research.
基金supported by the Ningbo Public Welfare Science and Technology Program,No.2022S023(to JY)Ningbo Natural Science Foundation,No.2022J211(to JS)+2 种基金Ningbo Medical and Health Brand Discipline,No.PPXK2018-04(to XG)Ningbo Top Medical and Health Research Program,No.2022020304(to XG)Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province,No.2022E10026(to YH)。
文摘Post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation,which is associated with blood-brain barrier disruption.Brain microvascular endothelial cells are a major component of the blood-brain barrier.Intercellular mitochondrial transfer has emerged as a novel paradigm for repairing cells with mitochondrial dysfunction.In this study,we first investigated whether mitochondrial transfer exists between brain microvascular endothelial cells,and then investigated the effects of post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia on mitochondrial transfer between brain microvascular endothelial cells.We found that healthy brain microvascular endothelial cells can transfer intact mitochondria to oxygen glucose deprivation-injured brain microvascular endothelial cells.However,post-oxygen glucose deprivation hyperglycemia hindered mitochondrial transfer and exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction.We established an in vitro brain microvascular endothelial cell model of the blood-brain barrier.We found that post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia reduced the overall energy metabolism levels of brain microvascular endothelial cells and increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier.In a clinical study,we retrospectively analyzed the relationship between post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia and the severity of hemorrhagic transformation.We found that post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia serves as an independent predictor of severe hemorrhagic transformation.These findings suggest that post-acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia can aggravate disruption of the blood-brain barrier by inhibiting mitochondrial transfer.
文摘Background:Glioblastoma multiforme(GBM)is recognized as the most lethal and most highly invasive tumor.The high likelihood of treatment failure arises fromthe presence of the blood-brain barrier(BBB)and stemcells around GBM,which avert the entry of chemotherapeutic drugs into the tumormass.Objective:Recently,several researchers have designed novel nanocarrier systems like liposomes,dendrimers,metallic nanoparticles,nanodiamonds,and nanorobot approaches,allowing drugs to infiltrate the BBB more efficiently,opening up innovative avenues to prevail over therapy problems and radiation therapy.Methods:Relevant literature for this manuscript has been collected from a comprehensive and systematic search of databases,for example,PubMed,Science Direct,Google Scholar,and others,using specific keyword combinations,including“glioblastoma,”“brain tumor,”“nanocarriers,”and several others.Conclusion:This review also provides deep insights into recent advancements in nanocarrier-based formulations and technologies for GBM management.Elucidation of various scientific advances in conjunction with encouraging findings concerning the future perspectives and challenges of nanocarriers for effective brain tumor management has also been discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.8227050826(to PL)Tianjin Science and Technology Bureau Foundation,No.20201194(to PL)Tianjin Graduate Research and Innovation Project,No.2022BKY174(to CW).
文摘Cerebral edema caused by blood-brain barrier injury after intracerebral hemorrhage is an important factor leading to poor prognosis.Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cell exosomes(hiPSC-NSC-Exos)have shown potential for brain injury repair in central nervous system diseases.In this study,we explored the impact of hiPSC-NSC-Exos on blood-brain barrier preservation and the underlying mechanism.Our results indicated that intranasal delivery of hiPSC-NSC-Exos mitigated neurological deficits,enhanced blood-brain barrier integrity,and reduced leukocyte infiltration in a mouse model of intracerebral hemorrhage.Additionally,hiPSC-NSC-Exos decreased immune cell infiltration,activated astrocytes,and decreased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines like monocyte chemoattractant protein-1,macrophage inflammatory protein-1α,and tumor necrosis factor-αpost-intracerebral hemorrhage,thereby improving the inflammatory microenvironment.RNA sequencing indicated that hiPSC-NSC-Exo activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in astrocytes and decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 secretion,thereby improving blood-brain barrier integrity.Treatment with the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 or the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 neutralizing agent C1142 abolished these effects.In summary,our findings suggest that hiPSC-NSC-Exos maintains blood-brain barrier integrity,in part by downregulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 secretion through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in astrocytes.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant nos.81973267)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(grant nos.LD19H300001).
文摘The challenge in the clinical treatment of Parkinson's disease lies in the lack of disease-modifying therapies that can halt or slow down the progression. Peptide drugs, such as exenatide (Exe), with potential disease-modifying efficacy, have difficulty in crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) due to their large molecular weight. Herein, we fabricate multi-functionalized lipid nanoparticles (LNP) Lpc-BoSA/CSO with BBB targeting, permeability-increasing and responsive release functions. Borneol is chemically bonded with stearic acid and, as one of the components of Lpc-BoSA/CSO, is used to increase BBB permeability. Immunofluorescence results of brain tissue of 15-month-old C57BL/6 mice show that Lpc-BoSA/CSO disperses across the BBB into brain parenchyma, and the amount is 4.21 times greater than that of conventional LNP. Motor symptoms of mice in Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe group are significantly improved, and the content of dopamine is 1.85 times (substantia nigra compacta) and 1.49 times (striatum) that of PD mice. α-Synuclein expression and Lewy bodies deposition are reduced to 51.85% and 44.72% of PD mice, respectively. Immunohistochemical mechanism studies show AKT expression in Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe is 4.23 times that of PD mice and GSK-3β expression is reduced to 18.41%. Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe could reduce the production of α-synuclein and Lewy bodies through AKT/GSK-3β pathway, and effectively prevent the progressive deterioration of Parkinson's disease. In summary, Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe increases the entry of exenatide into brain and promotes its clinical application for Parkinson's disease therapy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82104412(to TD)Shaanxi Provincial Key R&D Program,No.2023-YBSF-165(to TD)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Department of Science and Technology,No.2018JM7022(to FM)Shaanxi Provincial Key Industry Chain Project,No.2021ZDLSF04-11(to PW)。
文摘The functional and structural integrity of the blood-brain barrier is crucial in maintaining homeostasis in the brain microenvironment;however,the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and function of the blood-brain barrier remain poorly understood.The major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A has been identified as a key regulator of blood-brain barrier function.It plays a critical role in promoting and maintaining the formation and functional stability of the blood-brain barrier,in addition to the transport of lipids,such as docosahexaenoic acid,across the blood-brain barrier.Furthermore,an increasing number of studies have suggested that major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A is involved in the molecular mechanisms of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in a variety of neurological diseases;however,little is known regarding the mechanisms by which major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A affects the blood-brain barrier.This paper provides a comprehensive and systematic review of the close relationship between major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A proteins and the blood-brain barrier,including their basic structures and functions,cross-linking between major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A and the blood-brain barrier,and the in-depth studies on lipid transport and the regulation of blood-brain barrier permeability.This comprehensive systematic review contributes to an in-depth understanding of the important role of major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A proteins in maintaining the structure and function of the blood-brain barrier and the research progress to date.This will not only help to elucidate the pathogenesis of neurological diseases,improve the accuracy of laboratory diagnosis,and optimize clinical treatment strategies,but it may also play an important role in prognostic monitoring.In addition,the effects of major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A on blood-brain barrier leakage in various diseases and the research progress on cross-blood-brain barrier drug delivery are summarized.This review may contribute to the development of new approaches for the treatment of neurological diseases.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81573807。
文摘BACKGROUND Cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)is a prevalent cerebrovascular disease in clinical practice that is often associated with macrovascular disease.A clear understanding of the underlying causes of CSVD remains elusive.AIM To explore the association between intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)and blood-brain barrier(BBB)penetration in CSVD.METHODS This study included patients admitted to Fuyang People’s Hospital and Fuyang Community(Anhui,China)between December 2021 and March 2022.The study population comprised 142 patients,including 80 in the CSVD group and 62 in the control group.Depression was present in 53 out of 80 patients with CSVD.Multisequence magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI were applied in patients to determine the brain volume,cortical thickness,and cortical area of each brain region.Moreover,neuropsychological tests including the Hamilton depression scale,mini-mental state examination,and Montreal cognitive assessment basic scores were performed.RESULTS The multivariable analysis showed that age[P=0.011;odds ratio(OR)=0.930,95%confidence interval(CI):0.880-0.983]and ICAM-1 levels(P=0.023;OR=1.007,95%CI:1.001-1.013)were associated with CSVD.Two regions of interest(ROIs;ROI3 and ROI4)in the white matter showed significant(both P<0.001;95%CI:0.419-0.837 and 0.366-0.878)differences between the two groups,whereas only ROI1 in the gray matter showed signi-ficant difference(P=0.046;95%CI:0.007-0.680)between the two groups.ICAM-1 was significantly correlated(all P<0.05)with cortical thickness in multiple brain regions in the CSVD group.CONCLUSION This study revealed that ICAM-1 levels were independently associated with CSVD.ICAM-1 may be associated with cortical thickness in the brain,predominantly in the white matter,and a significant increase in BBB permeability,proposing the involvement of ICAM-1 in BBB destruction.
文摘Increasing evidence demonstrated that the blood-brain barrier(BBB)was involved in developing cerebral amyloid angiopathy(CAA).The BBB participates in the neurovascular coupling and regulates the transport of substances,which is closely related to neurodegenerative diseases.In CAA,the deposition of amyloid beta(Aβ)in arteries,capillaries,and arterioles of meninges and cerebral cortex results in the destruction of the BBB,chronic inflammatory response,chronic cerebral hypoperfusion,and dysfunction of the neurovascular unit,which eventually leads to neurodegeneration.At the same time,CAA is an age-related disease.Patients with CAA often have some risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases,such as hypertension and diabetes,which can further aggravate the damage to the BBB.Thus,it is of great significance to pay attention to the BBB in the pathogenesis and future intervention targets of CAA.Therefore,this manuscript reviewed the dysfunction of the BBB in CAA.
基金University of Massachusetts Lowell-Bedford VA Healthcare System Pilot Award(NM,WX,EG),I01 BX004730 and I01 BX003527 Merit Awards from the Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development of the Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development(WX)RF1AG063913 from the NIH(WX).
文摘Background:Vascular impairment is one of the major contributors to dementia.We aimed to identify blood biomarkers suggestive of potential impairment of the blood-brain barrier(BBB)in subjects with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Methods:We used administrative data from the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure Resource Center to study both inpatients and outpatients with AD.Plasma samples from healthy control and AD individuals were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and proteomics approaches to identify differentially expressed proteins.Bioinformatic analysis was applied to explore significantly enriched pathways.Results:In the same cohort of patients with AD,we found twice number of subjects with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in the two-year period after the onset of AD,compared to the number of subjects with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in the two-year period prior to AD onset.Different pathways related to BBB,like cell adhesion,extracellular matrix organization and Wnt signaling,were activated and differentially expressed proteins such as ADAM22,PDGFR-α,DKK-4,Neucrin and RSOP-1 were identified.Moreover,matrix metalloproteinase-9,which is implicated in causing degradation of basal lamina and BBB disruption,was significantly increased in the plasma of AD patients.Conclusions:Alteration of proteins found in AD subjects could provide new insights into biomarkers regulating permeability and BBB integrity.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund (Macao SAR)(120015/2019/ASC,0023/2020/AFJ,0035/2020/AGJ)the University of Macao Research Grant (MYRG2022-00248-ICMS)(all to MPMH)。
文摘Blood-brain barrier disruption occurs in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.Recent studies indicate a link between blood-brain barrier dysfunction and cognitive decline and might accelerate Alzheimer’s disease progression.Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system with important roles in the structural and functional maintenance of the blood-brain barrier.For example,astrocytic cove rage around endothelial cells with perivascular endfeet and secretion of homeostatic soluble factors are two major underlying mechanisms of astrocytic physiological functions.Astrocyte activation is often observed in Alzheimer’s disease patients,with astrocytes expressing a high level of glial fibrillary acid protein detected around amyloid-beta plaque with the elevated phagocytic ability for amyloid-beta.Structural alte rations in Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes including swollen endfeet,somata shrinkage and possess loss contribute to disruption in vascular integrity at capillary and arte rioles levels.In addition,Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes are skewed into proinflammatory and oxidative profiles with increased secretions of vasoactive mediators inducing endothelial junction disruption and immune cell infiltration.In this review,we summarize the findings of existing literature on the relevance of astrocyte alte ration in response to amyloid pathology in the context of blood-brain barrier dysfunction.First,we briefly describe the physiological roles of astrocytes in blood-brain barrier maintenance.Then,we review the clinical evidence of astrocyte pathology in Alzheimer’s disease patients and the preclinical evidence in animal and cellular models.We further discuss the structural changes of blood-brain barrier that correlates with Alzheimer’s disease astrocyte.Finally,we evaluate the roles of soluble factors secreted by Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes,providing potential molecular mechanisms underlying blood-brain barrier modulation.We conclude with a perspective on investigating the therapeutic potential of targeting astrocytes for blood-brain barrier protection in Alzheimer’s disease.
文摘The blood-brain barrier is a unique property of central nervous system blood vessels that protects sensitive central nervous system cells from potentially harmful blood components.The mechanistic basis of this barrier is found at multiple levels,including the adherens and tight junction proteins that tightly bind adjacent endothelial cells and the influence of neighboring pericytes,microglia,and astrocyte endfeet.In addition,extracellular matrix components of the vascular basement membrane play a critical role in establishing and maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity,not only by providing an adhesive substrate for blood-brain barrier cells to adhere to,but also by providing guidance cues that strongly influence vascular cell behavior.The extracellular matrix protein laminin is one of the most abundant components of the basement membrane,and several lines of evidence suggest that it plays a key role in directing blood-brain barrier behavior.In this review,we describe the basic structure of laminin and its receptors,the expression patterns of these molecules in central nervous system blood vessels and how they are altered in disease states,and most importantly,how genetic deletion of different laminin isoforms or their receptors reveals the contribution of these molecules to blood-brain barrier function and integrity.Finally,we discuss some of the important unanswered questions in the field and provide a“to-do”list of some of the critical outstanding experiments.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82001282(to PW)and 81960232(to PW)Overseas Students’Innovation and Entrepreneurship Individual Project of Ningxia(2021)(to PW)+1 种基金Youth Talents Supporting Program of Ningxia Medical University and Ningxia,Nos.XT2019018(to PW),TJGC2019081(to PW)College Students’Innovation and En trepreneurship Training Program,No.X202210752038(to FYY)。
文摘Remyelination failure is one of the main characteristics of multiple sclerosis and is potentially correlated with disease progression.Previous research has shown that the extracellular matrix is associated with remyelination failure because remodeling of the matrix often fails in both chronic and progressive multiple sclerosis.Fibronectin aggregates are assembled and persistently exist in chronic multiple sclerosis,thus inhibiting remyelination.Although many advances have been made in the mechanisms and treatment of multiple sclerosis,it remains very difficult for drugs to reach pathological brain tissues;this is due to the complexity of brain structure and function,especially the existence of the blood-brain barrier.Therefore,herein,we review the effects of fibronectin aggregates on multiple sclerosis and the efficacy of different forms of drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier in the treatment of this disease.
基金supported by Research Start-up Funding of Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital,No.2021-07(to FB)Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen,No.SZZYSM 202111011(to XDQ and FB)+1 种基金Key Discipline Established by Zhejiang Province,Jiaxing City Jointly-Pain Medicine,No.2019-ss-ttyx(to LSX)Jiaxing Key Laboratory of Neurology and Pain Medicine,No.[2014]81(to LSX)。
文摘Ischemic stroke can cause blood-brain barrier(BBB)injury,which worsens brain damage induced by stroke.Abnormal expression of tight junction proteins in endothelial cells(ECs)can increase intracellular space and BBB leakage.Selective inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase,the negative regulatory substrate of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase(MKP)-1,improves tight junction protein function in ECs,and genetic deletion of MKP-1 aggravates ischemic brain injury.However,whether the latter affects BBB integrity,and the cell type-specific mechanism underlying this process,remain unclear.In this study,we established an adult male mouse model of ischemic stroke by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 60 minutes and overexpressed MKP-1 in ECs on the injured side via lentiviral transfection before stroke.We found that overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs reduced infarct volume,reduced the level of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and chemokine C-C motif ligand-2,inhibited vascular injury,and promoted the recovery of sensorimotor and memory/cognitive function.Overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs also inhibited the activation of cerebral ischemia-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)1/2 and the downregulation of occludin expression.Finally,to investigate the mechanism by which MKP-1 exerted these functions in ECs,we established an ischemic stroke model in vitro by depriving the primary endothelial cell of oxygen and glucose,and pharmacologically inhibited the activity of MKP-1 and ERK1/2.Our findings suggest that MKP-1 inhibition aggravates oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced cell death,cell monolayer leakage,and downregulation of occludin expression,and that inhibiting ERK1/2 can reverse these effects.In addition,co-inhibition of MKP-1 and ERK1/2 exhibited similar effects to inhibition of ERK1/2.These findings suggest that overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs can prevent ischemia-induced occludin downregulation and cell death via deactivating ERK1/2,thereby protecting the integrity of BBB,alleviating brain injury,and improving post-stroke prognosis.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province(H2022206456)Natural Sci⁃ence Foundation of Hebei Province(H2021206449)+1 种基金Undergraduate Innovative Experiment Program of Hebei Medical University(USIP2022173)Undergraduate Innovative Experiment Program of Hebei Medical University(USIP2023107)。
文摘OBJECTIVE To explore mecha⁃nisms of imperatorin on regulating P-glycoprotein(P-gp)in blood-brain barrier(BBB)based on net⁃work pharmacology combined with in vitro experi⁃ment.METHODS Drug targets were predicted using the Pharmapper and Swiss targets data⁃bases;disease targets were obtained through the Genecards database;intersections between drugs and disease targets were screened by Cytoscape software;the obtained core targets were used to construct protein-protein interaction(PPI)network,gene ontology(GO)functions,and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis.The effects of imperatorin(20,50,100μmol·L^(-1))on P-gp activity were monitored in hCMEC/D3 in vitro BBB model,and the effects of imperatorin on the expression of target proteins were verified using Western blot method.RESULTS 55 drug targets and 3102 disease targets were obtained from the network pharmacology screening,and 37 core targets were obtained after the combination.Enrichment analysis showed that core targets were closely related to chemical synaptic trans⁃mission regulation,neurotransmitter receptor activity,protein kinase regulation activity,G proteincoupled receptor signaling pathway,neural active ligand receptor interaction pathway,PI3K-Akt sig⁃naling pathway,VEGF signaling pathway,etc..In vitro experimental validation suggested that all tested concentration groups of imperatorin signifi⁃cantly reduced the activity and expression of P-gp,which were achieved by significantly downregu⁃lating the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt,and repressing the expression of VEGFR2 pro⁃tein.CONCLUSION Network pharmacology was used to predict the core targets and signaling pathways of imperatorin on regulating P-gp in BBB and relevant validation was conducted through in vitro experiments,providing a refer⁃ence basis for further exploration of the mecha⁃nisms of imperatorin on regulating P-gp in BBB.
基金supported by a Foundation Project:National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.82100417,81760094),ChinaThe Foundation of Jiangxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology Project(Nos.20202ACBL206001,20212BAB206022,20181BAB205026).
文摘Background:Biochanin A is an excellent dietary isoflavone that has the concomitant function of both medicine and foodstuff.The attenuation function of biochanin A on blood-brain barrier(BBB)damage induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion remains unclear.Methods:C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 1 h middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)followed by 24 h reperfusion.The infarct volume of the brain was stained by TTC,while leakage of the brain was quantitatively stained by Evans blue,and the neurologic deficit score was measured.Microglial-induced morphologic changes were observed via immunofluorescence staining,and rolling and adhering leukocytes in venules were observed via two-photon imaging,while the inner fluorescein isothiocyanate-albumin of venules were compared with those of surrounding interstitial area through venular albumin leakage.Results:The attenuation effect of biochanin A on tight junction injury was compared in ischemia-reperfusion mice or conventional knockdown of leucine-richα2-glycoprotein 1(Lrg1)mice.Biochanin A could ameliorate BBB injury in mice with cerebral ischemiareperfusion in a dose-dependent manner by strengthening the immunostaining volume of occludin,claudin-5,and zonula occludens-1.The amoeba morphologic changes of microglial combined with the elevated expression of Lrg1 could be relieved under the treatment of biochanin A.Biochanin A played a countervailing role on the rolling leukocytes in the vessel,while the leakage of blood vessels was reduced.Biochanin A diminished its functions to further improved attenuation for tight junction injury on conventional Lrg1-knockout mice,as well as the inhibition effects on TGF-β1,and the phosphorylation of suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic 2(Smad2)/Smad2 via western blot assay.Conclusion:Biochanin A could alleviate tight junction injury induced by cerebral ischemiareperfusion and blocked the Lrg1/TGF-β/Smad2 pathway to modulate leukocyte migration patterns.
基金CNPq,Nos.308901/2020-7 and 400856/2016-6FAPESP,Nos.2019/21070-3,2017/17868-4,and 2016/21470-3+1 种基金SisNANO 2.0/MCTIC,No.442539/2019-3the National Institute of Science and Technology Complex Fluids,INCT-FCx.
文摘BACKGROUND Induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs)show great ability to differentiate into any tissue,making them attractive candidates for pathophysiological investigations.The rise of organ-on-a-chip technology in the past century has introduced a novel way to make in vitro cell cultures that more closely resemble their in vivo environments,both structural and functionally.The literature still lacks consensus on the best conditions to mimic the blood-brain barrier(BBB)for drug screening and other personalized therapies.The development of models based on BBB-on-achip using iPSCs is promising and is a potential alternative to the use of animals in research.AIM To analyze the literature for BBB models on-a-chip involving iPSCs,describe the microdevices,the BBB in vitro construction,and applications.METHODS We searched for original articles indexed in PubMed and Scopus that used iPSCs to mimic the BBB and its microenvironment in microfluidic devices.Thirty articles were identified,wherein only 14 articles were finally selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Data compiled from the selected articles were organized into four topics:(1)Microfluidic devices design and fabrication;(2)characteristics of the iPSCs used in the BBB model and their differentiation conditions;(3)BBB-on-a-chip reconstruction process;and(4)applications of BBB microfluidic three-dimensional models using iPSCs.RESULTS This study showed that BBB models with iPSCs in microdevices are quite novel in scientific research.Important technological advances in this area regarding the use of commercial BBB-on-a-chip were identified in the most recent articles by different research groups.Conventional polydimethylsiloxane was the most used material to fabricate in-house chips(57%),whereas few studies(14.3%)adopted polymethylmethacrylate.Half the models were constructed using a porous membrane made of diverse materials to separate the channels.iPSC sources were divergent among the studies,but the main line used was IMR90-C4 from human fetal lung fibroblast(41.2%).The cells were differentiated through diverse and complex processes either to endothelial or neural cells,wherein only one study promoted differentiation inside the chip.The construction process of the BBB-on-a-chip involved previous coating mostly with fibronectin/collagen Ⅳ(39.3%),followed by cell seeding in single cultures(36%)or co-cultures(64%)under controlled conditions,aimed at developing an in vitro BBB that mimics the human BBB for future applications.CONCLUSION This review evidenced technological advances in the construction of BBB models using iPSCs.Nonetheless,a definitive BBB-on-a-chip has not yet been achieved,hindering the applicability of the models.
基金supported by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(grant number:17K10825)to HS
文摘Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage remains serious hemorrhagic stroke with high morbidities and mortalities.Aneurysm rupture causes arterial bleeding-induced mechanical brain tissue injuries and elevated intracranial pressure,followed by global cerebral ischemia.Post-subarachnoid hemorrhage ischemia,tissue injuries as well as extravasated blood components and the breakdown products activate microglia,astrocytes and Toll-like receptor 4,and disrupt blood-brain barrier associated with the induction of many inflammatory and other cascades.Once blood-brain barrier is disrupted,brain tissues are directly exposed to harmful blood contents and immune cells,which aggravate brain injuries furthermore.Blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage may be developed by a variety of mechanisms including endothelial cell apoptosis and disruption of tight junction proteins.Many molecules and pathways have been reported to disrupt the blood-brain barrier after subarachnoid hemorrhage,but the exact mechanisms remain unclear.Multiple independent and/or interconnected signaling pathways may be involved in blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage.This review provides recent understandings of the mechanisms and the potential therapeutic targets of blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
基金supported by Proj.PRIN prot.2007AF3XH4_005,"Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Roma",and"Ministero della Salute"Grant No.RF-FGB-2005-150198
文摘The purpose of this work was to investigate whether, by intranasal administration, the nerve growth factor bypasses the blood-brain barrier and turns over the spinal cord neurons and if such therapeutic approach could be of value in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats with intact and injured spinal cord received daily intranasal nerve growth factor administration in both nostrils for 1 day or for 3 consecutive weeks. We found an in-creased content of nerve growth factor and enhanced expression of nerve growth factor receptor in the spinal cord 24 hours after a single intranasal administration of nerve growth factor in healthy rats, while daily treatment for 3 weeks in a model of spinal cord injury improved the deifcits in locomotor behaviour and increased spinal content of both nerve growth factor and nerve growth factor receptors. These outcomes suggest that the intranasal nerve growth factor bypasses blood-brain barrier and affects spinal cord neurons in spinal cord injury. They also suggest exploiting the possible therapeutic role of intranasally delivered nerve growth factor for the neuroprotection of damaged spinal nerve cells.