Uprety Ajay, Kang Yeji, Kim Soo Young
College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, Korea.
Arch Pharm Res. 2021 May;44(5):487-498. doi: 10.1007/s12272-021-01332-8. Epub 2021 May 24.
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is composed of specific tight junction proteins and transporters expressed on the lining of endothelial cells of the vasculature in the brain. The structural and functional integrity of the BBB is one of the most critical factors for maintaining brain homeostasis and is mainly regulated by complex interactions between various cell types, such as endothelial cells, pericytes, and astrocytes, which are shaped by their differential responses to changes in microenvironments. Alterations in these cellular components have been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders. Although it has long been considered that BBB dysfunction is a mere ramification of pathological phenomena, emerging evidence supports its critical role in the pathogenesis of various disorders. In epilepsy, heightened BBB permeability has been found to be associated with increased occurrence of spontaneous seizures. Additionally, exaggerated inflammatory responses significantly correlate with increased BBB permeability during healthy aging. Furthermore, it has been previously reported that BBB disruption can be an early marker for predicting cognitive impairment in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. We herein review a potential role of the major cellular components of the BBB, with a focus on the contribution of BBB disruption, in neurodegenerative disease progression.
血脑屏障（BBB）由大脑血管内皮细胞内衬上表达的特定紧密连接蛋白和转运蛋白组成。血脑屏障的结构和功能完整性是维持大脑内环境稳定的最关键因素之一，主要由各种细胞类型（如内皮细胞、周细胞和星形胶质细胞）之间的复杂相互作用调节，这些细胞类型对微环境变化的不同反应塑造了这种相互作用。这些细胞成分的改变与神经退行性疾病有关。虽然长期以来人们一直认为血脑屏障功能障碍仅仅是病理现象的一个分支，但新出现的证据支持其在各种疾病发病机制中的关键作用。在癫痫中，已发现血脑屏障通透性增加与自发性癫痫发作的发生率增加有关。此外，在健康衰老过程中，过度的炎症反应与血脑屏障通透性增加显著相关。此外，先前有报道称，血脑屏障破坏可能是预测阿尔茨海默病进展中认知障碍的早期标志物。我们在此综述血脑屏障主要细胞成分的潜在作用，重点关注血脑屏障破坏在神经退行性疾病进展中的作用。
