scholarly journals Netrin-1 in Glioblastoma Neovascularization: The New Partner in Crime?

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8248
Author(s):  
Ximena Vásquez ◽  
Pilar Sánchez-Gómez ◽  
Verónica Palma
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Tumor Cell ◽  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Primary Tumor ◽  
Tumor Vasculature ◽  
Form Part ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and common primary tumor of the central nervous system. It is characterized by having an infiltrating growth and by the presence of an excessive and aberrant vasculature. Some of the mechanisms that promote this neovascularization are angiogenesis and the transdifferentiation of tumor cells into endothelial cells or pericytes. In all these processes, the release of extracellular microvesicles by tumor cells plays an important role. Tumor cell-derived extracellular microvesicles contain pro-angiogenic molecules such as VEGF, which promote the formation of blood vessels and the recruitment of pericytes that reinforce these structures. The present study summarizes and discusses recent data from different investigations suggesting that Netrin-1, a highly versatile protein recently postulated as a non-canonical angiogenic ligand, could participate in the promotion of neovascularization processes in GBM. The relevance of determining the angiogenic signaling pathways associated with the interaction of Netrin-1 with its receptors is posed. Furthermore, we speculate that this molecule could form part of the microvesicles that favor abnormal tumor vasculature. Based on the studies presented, this review proposes Netrin-1 as a novel biomarker for GBM progression and vascularization.

scholarly journals Size-selective loosening of the blood-brain barrier in claudin-5–deficient mice

2003 ◽  
Vol 161 (3) ◽  
pp. 653-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takehiro Nitta ◽  
Masaki Hata ◽  
Shimpei Gotoh ◽  
Yoshiteru Seo ◽  
Hiroyuki Sasaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Tight Junctions ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Deficient Mice

Tight junctions are well-developed between adjacent endothelial cells of blood vessels in the central nervous system, and play a central role in establishing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Claudin-5 is a major cell adhesion molecule of tight junctions in brain endothelial cells. To examine its possible involvement in the BBB, claudin-5–deficient mice were generated. In the brains of these mice, the development and morphology of blood vessels were not altered, showing no bleeding or edema. However, tracer experiments and magnetic resonance imaging revealed that in these mice, the BBB against small molecules (<800 D), but not larger molecules, was selectively affected. This unexpected finding (i.e., the size-selective loosening of the BBB) not only provides new insight into the basic molecular physiology of BBB but also opens a new way to deliver potential drugs across the BBB into the central nervous system.

scholarly journals Directional Release of Reovirus from the Apical Surface of Polarized Endothelial Cells

mBio ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Lai ◽  
Bernardo A. Mainou ◽  
Kwang S. Kim ◽  
Terence S. Dermody
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Tight Junction ◽  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Apical Surface ◽  
Reovirus Infection ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Junction Protein ◽  
The Central Nervous System

ABSTRACTBloodstream spread is a critical step in the pathogenesis of many viruses. However, mechanisms that promote viremia are not well understood. Reoviruses are neurotropic viruses that disseminate hematogenously to the central nervous system. Junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) is a tight junction protein that serves as a receptor for reovirus. JAM-A is required for establishment of viremia in infected newborn mice and viral spread to sites of secondary replication. To determine how viruses gain access to the circulatory system, we examined reovirus infection of polarized human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). Reovirus productively infects polarized HBMECs, but infection does not alter tight junction integrity. Apical infection of polarized HBMECs is more efficient than basolateral infection, which is attributable to viral engagement of sialic acid and JAM-A. Viral release occurs exclusively from the apical surface via a mechanism that is not associated with lysis or apoptosis of infected cells. These data suggest that infection of endothelial cells routes reovirus apically into the bloodstream for systemic dissemination in the host. Understanding how viruses invade the bloodstream may aid in the development of therapeutics that block this step in viral pathogenesis.IMPORTANCEBloodstream spread of viruses within infected hosts is a critical but poorly understood step in viral disease. Reoviruses first enter the host through the oral or respiratory route and infect cells in the central nervous system. Spread of reoviruses to the brain occurs by blood or nerves, which makes reoviruses useful models for studies of systemic viral dissemination. In this study, we examined how reoviruses infect endothelial cells, which form the walls of blood vessels. We found that reovirus infection of endothelial cells allows the virus to enter blood vessels and serves as a means for the virus to reach high titers in the circulation. Understanding how reovirus is routed through endothelial cells may aid in the design of antiviral drugs that target this important step in systemic viral infections.

scholarly journals Delivery of Therapeutic Agents to the Central Nervous System and the Promise of Extracellular Vesicles

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 492
Author(s):  
Charlotte A. René ◽  
Robin J. Parks
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Significant Barrier ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Delivery Vehicles

The central nervous system (CNS) is surrounded by the blood–brain barrier (BBB), a semipermeable border of endothelial cells that prevents pathogens, solutes and most molecules from non-selectively crossing into the CNS. Thus, the BBB acts to protect the CNS from potentially deleterious insults. Unfortunately, the BBB also frequently presents a significant barrier to therapies, impeding passage of drugs and biologicals to target cells within the CNS. This review provides an overview of different approaches to deliver therapeutics across the BBB, with an emphasis in extracellular vesicles as delivery vehicles to the CNS.

scholarly journals Endothelial cells are a replicative niche for entry of Toxoplasma gondii to the central nervous system

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Konradt ◽  
Norikiyo Ueno ◽  
David A. Christian ◽  
Jonathan H. Delong ◽  
Gretchen Harms Pritchard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
The Central Nervous System

scholarly journals The Biology of Brain Metastasis

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert R Langley ◽  
Isaiah J Fidler
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Brain Metastasis ◽  
Brain Metastases ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

BACKGROUND It is estimated that at least 200 000 cases of brain metastases occur each year in the US, which is 10 times the number of patients diagnosed with primary brain tumors. Brain metastasis is associated with poor prognosis, neurological deterioration, diminished quality of life, and extremely short survival. Favorable interactions between tumor cells and cerebral microvascular endothelial cells encourage tumor growth in the central nervous system, while tumor cell interactions with astrocytes protect brain metastases from the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. CONTENT We review the pathogenesis of brain metastasis and emphasize the contributions of microvascular endothelial cells and astrocytes to disease progression and therapeutic resistance. Animal models used to study brain metastasis are also discussed. SUMMARY Brain metastasis has many unmet clinical needs. There are few clinically relevant tumor models and no targeted therapies specific for brain metastases, and the mean survival for untreated patients is 5 weeks. Improved clinical outcomes are dependent on an enhanced understanding of the metastasis-initiating population of cells and the identification of microenvironmental factors that encourage disease progression in the central nervous system.

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