scholarly journals Direct Current Stimulation Disrupts Endothelial Glycocalyx and Tight Junctions of the Blood-Brain Barrier in vitro

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yifan Xia ◽  
Yunfei Li ◽  
Wasem Khalid ◽  
Marom Bikson ◽  
Bingmei M. Fu
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Tight Junction ◽  
Tight Junctions ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Endothelial Glycocalyx ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Bbb Permeability

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive physical therapy to treat many psychiatric disorders and to enhance memory and cognition in healthy individuals. Our recent studies showed that tDCS with the proper dosage and duration can transiently enhance the permeability (P) of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in rat brain to various sized solutes. Based on the in vivo permeability data, a transport model for the paracellular pathway of the BBB also predicted that tDCS can transiently disrupt the endothelial glycocalyx (EG) and the tight junction between endothelial cells. To confirm these predictions and to investigate the structural mechanisms by which tDCS modulates P of the BBB, we directly quantified the EG and tight junctions of in vitro BBB models after DCS treatment. Human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (hCMECs) and mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd3) were cultured on the Transwell filter with 3 μm pores to generate in vitro BBBs. After confluence, 0.1–1 mA/cm2 DCS was applied for 5 and 10 min. TEER and P to dextran-70k of the in vitro BBB were measured, HS (heparan sulfate) and hyaluronic acid (HA) of EG was immuno-stained and quantified, as well as the tight junction ZO-1. We found disrupted EG and ZO-1 when P to dextran-70k was increased and TEER was decreased by the DCS. To further investigate the cellular signaling mechanism of DCS on the BBB permeability, we pretreated the in vitro BBB with a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, L-NMMA. L-NMMA diminished the effect of DCS on the BBB permeability by protecting the EG and reinforcing tight junctions. These in vitro results conform to the in vivo observations and confirm the model prediction that DCS can disrupt the EG and tight junction of the BBB. Nevertheless, the in vivo effects of DCS are transient which backup its safety in the clinical application. In conclusion, our current study directly elucidates the structural and signaling mechanisms by which DCS modulates the BBB permeability.

Modulation of tight junction structure in blood-brain barrier endothelial cells. Effects of tissue culture, second messengers and cocultured astrocytes

1994 ◽  
Vol 107 (5) ◽  
pp. 1347-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Wolburg ◽  
J. Neuhaus ◽  
U. Kniesel ◽  
B. Krauss ◽  
E.M. Schmid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Tight Junction ◽  
Tight Junctions ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Barrier Function ◽  
Primary Cultures ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Brain Endothelial Cells ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
Camp Levels

Tight junctions between endothelial cells of brain capillaries are the most important structural elements of the blood-brain barrier. Cultured brain endothelial cells are known to loose tight junction-dependent blood-brain barrier characteristics such as macromolecular impermeability and high electrical resistance. We have directly analyzed the structure and function of tight junctions in primary cultures of bovine brain endothelial cells using quantitative freeze-fracture electron microscopy, and ion and inulin permeability. The complexity of tight junctions, defined as the number of branch points per unit length of tight junctional strands, decreased 5 hours after culture but thereafter remained almost constant. In contrast, the association of tight junction particles with the cytoplasmic leaflet of the endothelial membrane bilayer (P-face) decreased continuously with a major drop between 16 hours and 24 hours. The complexity of tight junctions could be increased by elevation of intracellular cAMP levels while phorbol esters had the opposite effect. On the other hand, the P-face association of tight junction particles was enhanced by elevation of cAMP levels and by coculture of endothelial cells with astrocytes or exposure to astrocyte-conditioned medium. The latter effect on P-face association was induced by astrocytes but not fibroblasts. Elevation of cAMP levels together with astrocyte-conditioned medium synergistically increased transendothelial electrical resistance and decreased inulin permeability of primary cultures, thus confirming the effects on tight junction structure and barrier function. P-face association of tight junction particles in brain endothelial cells may therefore be a critical feature of blood-brain barrier function that can be specifically modulated by astrocytes and cAMP levels. Our results suggest an important functional role for the cytoplasmic anchorage of tight junction particles for brain endothelial barrier function in particular and probably paracellular permeability in general.

Anthropogenic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Damage to Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells Forming the Blood-Brain Barrier

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Gárate-Vélez ◽  
Claudia Escudero-Lourdes ◽  
Daniela Salado-Leza ◽  
Armando González-Sánchez ◽  
Ildemar Alvarado-Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
Fe3o4 Nps ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial ◽  
The Brain

Background: Iron nanoparticles, mainly in magnetite phase (Fe3O4 NPs), are released to the environment in areas with high traffic density and braking frequency. Fe3O4 NPs were found in postmortem human brains and are assumed to get directly into the brain through the olfactory nerve. However, these pollution-derived NPs may also translocate from the lungs to the bloodstream and then, through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), into the brain inducing oxidative and inflammatory responses that contribute to neurodegeneration. Objective: To describe the interaction and toxicity of pollution-derived Fe3O4 NPs on primary rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (rBMECs), main constituents of in vitro BBB models. Methods: Synthetic bare Fe3O4 NPs that mimic the environmental ones (miFe3O4) were synthesized by co-precipitation and characterized using complementary techniques. The rBMECs were cultured in Transwell® plates. The NPs-cell interaction was evaluated through transmission electron microscopy and standard colorimetric in vitro assays. Results: The miFe3O4 NPs, with a mean diameter of 8.45 ± 0.14 nm, presented both magnetite and maghemite phases, and showed super-paramagnetic properties. Results suggest that miFe3O4 NPs are internalized by rBMECs through endocytosis and that they are able to cross the cells monolayer. The lowest miFe3O4 NPs concentration tested induced mid cytotoxicity in terms of 1) membrane integrity (LDH release) and 2) metabolic activity (MTS transformation). Conclusion: Pollution-derived Fe3O4 NPs may interact and cross the microvascular endothelial cells forming the BBB and cause biological damage.

scholarly journals Cerebromicrovascular endothelial cells are resistant to l-glutamate

2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (4) ◽  
pp. R1099-R1108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferenc Domoki ◽  
Béla Kis ◽  
Tamás Gáspár ◽  
Ferenc Bari ◽  
David W. Busija
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Primary Cultures ◽  
Glucose Deprivation ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Cranial Window ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
Microvascular Cells

Cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (CMVECs) have recently been implicated as targets of excitotoxic injury by l-glutamate (l-glut) or N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) in vitro. However, high levels of l-glut do not compromise the function of the blood-brain barrier in vivo. We sought to determine whether primary cultures of rat and piglet CMVECs or cerebral microvascular pericytes (CMVPCs) are indeed sensitive to l-glut or NMDA. Viability was unaffected by 8-h exposure to 1–10 mM l-glut or NMDA in CMVECs or CMVPCs isolated from both species. Furthermore, neither 1 mM l-glut nor NMDA augmented cell death induced by 12-h oxygen-glucose deprivation in rat CMVECs or by 8-h medium withdrawal in CMVPCs. Additionally, transendothelial electrical resistance of rat CMVEC-astrocyte cocultures or piglet CMVEC cultures were not compromised by up to 24-h exposure to 1 mM l-glut or NMDA. The Ca2+ ionophore calcimycin (5 μM), but not l-glut (1 mM), increased intracellular Ca2+ levels in rat CMVECs and CMVPCs assessed with fluo-4 AM fluorescence and confocal microscopy. CMVEC-dependent pial arteriolar vasodilation to hypercapnia and bradykinin was unaffected by intracarotid infusion of l-glut in anesthetized piglets by closed cranial window/intravital microscopy. We conclude that cerebral microvascular cells are insensitive and resistant to glutamatergic stimuli in accordance with their in vivo role as regulators of potentially neurotoxic amino acids across the blood-brain barrier.

scholarly journals Tranilast inhibits the proliferation, chemotaxis and tube formation of human microvascular endothelial cells in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo

1997 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 1061-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masayuki Isaji ◽  
Hiroshi Miyata ◽  
Yoshiyuki Ajisawa ◽  
Yasuo Takehana ◽  
Nagahisa Yoshimura
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Tube Formation ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

scholarly journals A Genomic Comparison of in vivo and in vitro Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony R Calabria ◽  
Eric V Shusta
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Subtractive Hybridization ◽  
Gene Panel ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

The blood—brain barrier (BBB) is composed of uniquely differentiated brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC). Often, it is of interest to replicate these attributes in the form of an in vitro model, and such models are widely used in the research community. However, the BMEC used to create in vitro BBB models de-differentiate in culture and lose many specialized characteristics. These changes are poorly understood at a molecular level, and little is known regarding the consequences of removing BMEC from their local in vivo microenvironment. To address these issues, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to identify 25 gene transcripts that were differentially expressed between in vivo and in vitro BMEC. Genes affected included those involved in angiogenesis, transport and neurogenesis, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) verified transcripts were primarily and significantly downregulated. Since this quantitative gene panel represented those BMEC characteristics lost upon culture, we used it to assess how culture manipulation, specifically BMEC purification and barrier induction by hydrocortisone, influenced the quality of in vitro models. Puromycin purification of BMEC elicited minimal differences compared with untreated BMEC, as assessed by qPCR. In contrast, qPCR-based gene panel analysis after induction with hydrocortisone indicated a modest shift of 10 of the 23 genes toward a more ‘ in vivo-like’ gene expression profile, which correlated with improved barrier phenotype. Genomic analysis of BMEC de-differentiation in culture has thus yielded a functionally diverse set of genes useful for comparing the in vitro and in vivo BBB.

scholarly journals TRA2A-induced upregulation of LINC00662 regulates blood-brain barrier permeability by affecting ELK4 mRNA stability in Alzheimer's microenvironment

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianshuo Liu ◽  
Lu Zhu ◽  
Xiaobai Liu ◽  
Jian Zheng ◽  
Yunhui Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tight Junction ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Rna Binding Proteins ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
Bbb Permeability ◽  
Novel Target ◽  
Related Proteins

Abstract The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in maintenance and regulation of the neural microenvironment. The occurrence of BBB disruption is the pathological change of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). RNA-binding proteins and long non-coding RNAs are involved in the regulation of BBB permeability. Our study was performed to demonstrate TRA2A/LINC00662/ELK4 axis in regulating BBB permeability in AD microenvironment. In Aβ1-42-incubated microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) of BBB model in vitro, TRA2A and LINC00662 were enriched. TRA2A increased the stability of LINC00662 by binding with it. The knockdown of either TRA2A or LINC00662 decreased the BBB permeability via upregulating the expressions of tight junction-related proteins. ELK4 was lower expressed in BBB model in vitro in AD microenvironment. LINC00662 mediated the degradation of ELK4 mRNA by SMD pathway. The downregulated ELK4 increased the permeability of BTB by increasing the tight junction-related proteins expressions. TRA2A/LINC00662/ELK4 axis plays a crucial role in the regulation of BBB permeability in AD microenvironment, which may provide a novel target for the therapy of AD.

scholarly journals Yuzu and Hesperidin Ameliorate Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption during Hypoxia via Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 843
Author(s):  
Bo Kyung Lee ◽  
Soo-Wang Hyun ◽  
Yi-Sook Jung
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cell ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
In Vivo Animal Model ◽  
Bbb Permeability

Yuzu and its main component, hesperidin (HSP), have several health benefits owing to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We examined the effects of yuzu and HSP on blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction during ischemia/hypoxia in an in vivo animal model and an in vitro BBB endothelial cell model, and also investigated the underlying mechanisms. In an in vitro BBB endothelial cell model, BBB permeability was determined by measurement of Evans blue extravasation in vivo and in vitro. The expression of tight junction proteins, such as claudin-5 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), was detected by immunochemistry and western blotting, and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was measured by 2′7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate intensity. Yuzu and HSP significantly ameliorated the increase in BBB permeability and the disruption of claudin-5 and ZO-1 in both in vivo and in vitro models. In bEnd.3 cells, yuzu and HSP were shown to inhibit the disruption of claudin-5 and ZO-1 during hypoxia, and the protective effects of yuzu and HSP on claudin-5 degradation seemed to be mediated by Forkhead box O 3a (FoxO3a) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3/9. In addition, well-known antioxidants, trolox and N-acetyl cysteine, significantly attenuated the BBB permeability increase, disruption of claudin-5 and ZO-1, and FoxO3a activation during hypoxia, suggesting that ROS are important mediators of BBB dysfunction during hypoxia. Collectively, these results indicate that yuzu and HSP protect the BBB against dysfunction via maintaining integrity of claudin-5 and ZO-1, and these effects of yuzu and HSP appear to be a facet of their antioxidant properties. Our findings may contribute to therapeutic strategies for BBB-associated neurodegenerative diseases.

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