The effects of fasudil on the permeability of the rat blood–brain barrier and blood–spinal cord barrier following experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Abstract Background Constipation is a common gastrointestinal dysfunction which has a potential impact on people's immune state and their quality of life. Here we investigated the effects of constipation on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Constipation was induced by loperamide in female C57BL/6 mice. The alternations of gut microbiota, permeability of intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier, and histopathology of colon were assessed after constipation induction. EAE was induced in the constipation mice. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed from constipation mice into microbiota-depleted mice. Clinical scores, histopathology of inflammation and demyelination, Treg/Th17 and Treg17/Teff17 imbalance both in the peripheral lymphatic organs and central nervous system, cytokines include TGF-β, GM-CSF, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, and IL-23 in serum were assessed in different groups. Results Compared with the vehicle group, the constipation mice showed gut microbiota dysbiosis, colon inflammation and injury, and increased permeability of intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier. We found that the clinical and pathological scores of the constipation EAE mice were severer than that of the EAE mice. Compared with the EAE mice, the constipation EAE mice showed reduced percentage of Treg and Treg17 cells, increased percentage of Th17 and Teff17 cells, and decreased ratio of Treg/Th17 and Treg17/Teff17 in the spleen, inguinal lymph nodes, brain, and spinal cord. Moreover, the serum levels of TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-21 were decreased while the GM-CSF, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, and IL-23 were increased in the constipation EAE mice. In addition, these pathological processes could be transferred via their gut microbiota. Conclusions Our results verified that constipation induced gut microbiota dysbiosis exacerbated EAE via aggravating Treg/Th17 and Treg17/Teff17 imbalance and cytokines disturbance in C57BL/6 mice.

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Inhibitory Effect of Matrine on Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption for the Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2013/736085 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Su Zhang ◽

Quan-Cheng Kan ◽

Yuming Xu ◽

Guang-Xian Zhang ◽

Lin Zhu

Keyword(s):

Basement Membrane ◽

Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽

Blood Brain Barrier ◽

Adaptor Protein ◽

Brain Barrier ◽

Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽

Novel Therapy ◽

Cns Inflammation ◽

Blood Brain ◽

Experimental Autoimmune

Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a primary characteristic of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an experimental model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Matrine (MAT), a quinolizidine alkaloid derived from the herb Radix Sophorae Flave, has been recently found to suppress clinical EAE and CNS inflammation. However, whether this effect of MAT is through protecting the integrity and function of the BBB is not known. In the present study, we show that MAT treatment had a therapeutic effect comparable to dexamethasone (DEX) in EAE rats, with reduced Evans Blue extravasation, increased expression of collagen IV, the major component of the basement membrane, and the structure of tight junction (TJ) adaptor protein Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). Furthermore, MAT treatment attenuated expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and -2 (MMP-9/-2), while it increased the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 and -2 (TIMP-1/-2). Our findings demonstrate that MAT reduces BBB leakage by strengthening basement membrane, inhibiting activities of MMP-2 and -9, and upregulating their inhibitors. Taken together, our results identify a novel mechanism underlying the effect of MAT, a natural compound that could be a novel therapy for MS.

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E- and P-Selectin Are Not Involved in the Recruitment of Inflammatory Cells Across the Blood-Brain Barrier in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v90.11.4459 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 90 (11) ◽

pp. 4459-4472 ◽

Cited By ~ 136

Author(s):

Britta Engelhardt ◽

Dietmar Vestweber ◽

Rupert Hallmann ◽

Martina Schulz

Keyword(s):

Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽

Blood Brain Barrier ◽

Inflammatory Cells ◽

Brain Barrier ◽

Specific Mechanism ◽

Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽

Blood Brain ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

Gain Access ◽

Experimental Autoimmune

Abstract In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) inflammatory cells cross the endothelial blood-brain barrier (BBB) and gain access to the central nervous system (CNS). Here we show that E- and P-selectin are not involved in the recruitment of inflammatory cells across the BBB. Neither expression of E- nor P-selectin is induced in BBB-forming endothelium at any time after initiation of EAE. Some of the inflammatory cells present in the CNS during EAE express ligands for E- or P-selectin. However, anti–E- and P-selectin antibodies influence neither immigration of inflammatory cells across the BBB nor the development of EAE. In general, suppression of E- and P-selectin expression on BBB endothelium is dependent on factors derived from the CNS microenvironment, eg, astrocytes. Our results suggest that during EAE suppression of E- and P-selectin expression on the BBB provides a CNS-specific mechanism to reduce leukocyte recruitment into the CNS.

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