National Center for Pharmaceutical Screening, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China.
Brain Res Bull. 2011 Aug 10;86(1-2):13-21. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.05.015. Epub 2011 Jun 6.
Alzheimer's disease involves the complex and interconnected cascade of cellular and molecular events. Only a few treatments are available to slow the course of the disease at present. Recent studies suggest that neurovascular unit serves to maintain cerebral homeostasis, and pathological interactions between components of neurovascular unit lead to cerebral dysfunction. In present study, we established a functional unit trying to target major components of the neurovascular unit by the co-culture of rat cortical parenchymal culture and cerebral microvascular endothelial cells. This entity allowed the application of techniques such as immunofluorescent imaging and biological assays under defined conditions. The morphology of cell types, blood-brain barrier function and neuronal activation were investigated. The insight revealed that targeting components of the neurovascular unit, rather than just the neuron, might be a priority in Alzheimer's disease and more likely to provide cerebroprotection.
阿尔茨海默病涉及细胞和分子事件的复杂和相互关联的级联反应。目前只有少数几种治疗方法可以减缓疾病的进程。最近的研究表明，神经血管单元有助于维持大脑的内稳态，而神经血管单元成分之间的病理性相互作用导致大脑功能障碍。在本研究中，我们建立了一个功能性单元，通过大鼠皮质实质培养物和脑微血管内皮细胞的共培养来靶向神经血管单元的主要成分。这个实体允许在定义的条件下应用免疫荧光成像和生物测定等技术。研究了细胞类型的形态、血脑屏障功能和神经元激活。研究结果表明，针对神经血管单元的成分，而不仅仅是神经元，可能是阿尔茨海默病的优先事项，更有可能提供脑保护。
