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Zarekiani P, Nogueira Pinto H, Hol EM, Bugiani M, de Vries HE. The neurovascular unit in leukodystrophies: towards solving the puzzle. Fluids Barriers CNS 2022; 19:18. [PMID: 35227276 PMCID: PMC8887016 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-022-00316-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurovascular unit (NVU) is a highly organized multicellular system localized in the brain, formed by neuronal, glial (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia) and vascular (endothelial cells and pericytes) cells. The blood-brain barrier, a complex and dynamic endothelial cell barrier in the brain microvasculature that separates the blood from the brain parenchyma, is a component of the NVU. In a variety of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke, dysfunctions of the NVU occurs. There is, however, a lack of knowledge regarding the NVU function in leukodystrophies, which are rare monogenic disorders that primarily affect the white matter. Since leukodystrophies are rare diseases, human brain tissue availability is scarce and representative animal models that significantly recapitulate the disease are difficult to develop. The introduction of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) now makes it possible to surpass these limitations while maintaining the ability to work in a biologically relevant human context and safeguarding the genetic background of the patient. This review aims to provide further insights into the NVU functioning in leukodystrophies, with a special focus on iPSC-derived models that can be used to dissect neurovascular pathophysiology in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parand Zarekiani
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henrique Nogueira Pinto
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elly M Hol
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marianna Bugiani
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Helga E de Vries
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Zarekiani P, Breur M, Wolf NI, de Vries HE, van der Knaap MS, Bugiani M. Pathology of the neurovascular unit in leukodystrophies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:103. [PMID: 34082828 PMCID: PMC8173888 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01206-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier is a dynamic endothelial cell barrier in the brain microvasculature that separates the blood from the brain parenchyma. Specialized brain endothelial cells, astrocytes, neurons, microglia and pericytes together compose the neurovascular unit and interact to maintain blood-brain barrier function. A disturbed brain barrier function is reported in most common neurological disorders and may play a role in disease pathogenesis. However, a comprehensive overview of how the neurovascular unit is affected in a wide range of rare disorders is lacking. Our aim was to provide further insights into the neuropathology of the neurovascular unit in leukodystrophies to unravel its potential pathogenic role in these diseases. Leukodystrophies are monogenic disorders of the white matter due to defects in any of its structural components. Single leukodystrophies are exceedingly rare, and availability of human tissue is unique. Expression of selective neurovascular unit markers such as claudin-5, zona occludens 1, laminin, PDGFRβ, aquaporin-4 and α-dystroglycan was investigated in eight different leukodystrophies using immunohistochemistry. We observed tight junction rearrangements, indicative of endothelial dysfunction, in five out of eight assessed leukodystrophies of different origin and an altered aquaporin-4 distribution in all. Aquaporin-4 redistribution indicates a general astrocytic dysfunction in leukodystrophies, even in those not directly related to astrocytic pathology or without prominent reactive astrogliosis. These findings provide further evidence for dysfunction in the orchestration of the neurovascular unit in leukodystrophies and contribute to a better understanding of the underlying disease mechanism.
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Neurotoxicology: an update on epidemiology, mechanisms, and pathology. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 138:339-341. [PMID: 31372727 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-02051-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Gold M. Phase II clinical trials of anti-amyloid β antibodies: When is enough, enough? ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA-TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS 2017; 3:402-409. [PMID: 29067346 PMCID: PMC5651424 DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Efforts to develop new therapies to combat Alzheimer's disease suffer from extraordinarily high failure rates that make it difficult to justify continued investment in the field. Although there are a number of plausible explanations for this extremely high attrition rate, one of the explanations that has received little attention is the lack of compelling data from Phase II studies for compounds that have been pushed into Phase III trials and then have failed. An analysis of publicly available data from the Phase II studies for bapineuzumab and solanezumab indicates that neither compound produced compelling evidence of drug-like behavior that would justify their progression into pivotal trials. The published data suggest that sponsors took decisions to move these compounds into Phase III on the basis of vastly limited data that were rife with type I error and probably driven by commercial concerns. The continued push to move compounds that are not likely to succeed in later stage clinical trials threatens to erode trust in the clinical research enterprise making it much harder to properly test truly promising compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gold
- Global Product Development, Neuroscience, PPD, Morrisville, NC, USA
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Hung VWS, Masoom H, Kerman K. Label-free electrochemical detection of Amyloid beta aggregation in the presence of iron, copper and zinc. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2012.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Sharma HS, Sharma A. New perspectives on molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuroprotection and neuroregeneration: part I. Expert Rev Neurother 2010; 10:1039-1043. [DOI: 10.1586/ern.10.79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo O Kuljiš
- The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Galveston, TX, USA
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