Advancing brain barriers RNA sequencing: guidelines from experimental design to publication

Damage mechanism and therapy progress of the blood-brain barrier after ischemic stroke

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) serves as a defensive line protecting the central nervous system, while also maintaining micro-environment homeostasis and inhibiting harmful materials from the peripheral blood. However, the BBB's unique physiological functions and properties make drug delivery challenging for patients with central nervous system diseases. In this article, we briefly describe the cell structure basis and mechanism of action of the BBB, as well as related functional proteins involved. Additionally, we discuss the various mechanisms of BBB damage following the onset of an ischemic stroke, and lastly, we mention several therapeutic strategies accounting for impairment mechanisms. We hope to provide innovative ideas for drug delivery research via the BBB.

Chronic social defeat alters brain vascular-associated cell gene expression patterns leading to vascular dysfunction and immune system activation

Brain vascular integrity is critical for brain health, and its disruption is implicated in many brain pathologies, including psychiatric disorders. Brain-vascular barriers are a complex cellular landscape composed of endothelial, glial, mural, and immune cells. Yet currently, little is known about these brain vascular-associated cells (BVACs) in health and disease. Previously, we demonstrated that 14 days of chronic social defeat (CSD), a mouse paradigm that produces anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, causes cerebrovascular damage in the form of scattered microbleeds. Here, we developed a technique to isolate barrier-related cells from the mouse brain and subjected the isolated cells to single-cell RNA sequencing. Using this isolation technique, we found an enrichment in BVAC populations, including distinct subsets of endothelial and microglial cells. In CSD compared to non-stress, home-cage control, differential gene expression patterns disclosed biological pathways involving vascular dysfunction, vascular healing, and immune system activation. Overall, our work demonstrates a unique technique to study BVAC populations from fresh brain tissue and suggests that neurovascular dysfunction is a key driver of psychosocial stress-induced brain pathology.

Integrating transcriptomic datasets across neurological disease identifies unique myeloid subpopulations driving disease-specific signatures

Microglia and bone marrow-derived monocytes are key elements of central nervous system (CNS) inflammation, both capable of enhancing and dampening immune-mediated pathology. However, the study-specific focus on individual cell types, disease models or experimental approaches has limited our ability to infer common and disease-specific responses. This meta-analysis integrates bulk and single-cell transcriptomic datasets of microglia and monocytes from disease models of autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, sterile injury, and infection to build a comprehensive resource connecting myeloid responses across CNS disease. We demonstrate that the bulk microglial and monocyte program is highly contingent on the disease environment, challenging the notion of a universal microglial disease signature. Integration of six single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets revealed that these disease-specific signatures are likely driven by differing proportions of unique myeloid subpopulations that were individually expanded in different disease settings. These subsets were functionally-defined as neurodegeneration-associated, inflammatory, interferon-responsive, phagocytic, antigen-presenting, and lipopolysaccharide-responsive cellular states, revealing a core set of myeloid responses at the single-cell level that are conserved across CNS pathology. Showcasing the predictive and practical value of this resource, we performed differential expression analysis on microglia and monocytes across disease and identified Cd81 as a new neuroinflammatory-stable gene that accurately identified microglia and distinguished them from monocyte-derived cells across all experimental models at both the bulk and single-cell level. Together, this resource dissects the influence of disease environment on shared immune response programmes to build a unified perspective of myeloid behavior across CNS pathology.

Brain microvascular endothelial cell dysfunction in an isogenic juvenile iPSC model of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by expansion of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeats in the huntingtin gene, which leads to neuronal loss and decline in cognitive and motor function. Increasing evidence suggests that blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction may contribute to progression of the disease. Studies in animal models, in vitro models, and post-mortem tissue find that disease progression is associated with increased microvascular density, altered cerebral blood flow, and loss of paracellular and transcellular barrier function. Here, we report on changes in BBB phenotype due to expansion of CAG repeats using an isogenic pair of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiated into brain microvascular endothelial-like cells (iBMECs). We show that CAG expansion associated with juvenile HD alters the trajectory of iBMEC differentiation, producing cells with ~ two-fold lower percentage of adherent endothelial cells. CAG expansion is associated with diminished transendothelial electrical resistance and reduced tight junction protein expression, but no significant changes in paracellular permeability. While mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) aggregates were not observed in HD iBMECs, widespread transcriptional dysregulation was observed in iBMECs compared to iPSCs. In addition, CAG expansion in iBMECs results in distinct responses to pathological and therapeutic perturbations including angiogenic factors, oxidative stress, and osmotic stress. In a tissue-engineered BBB model, iBMECs show subtle changes in phenotype, including differences in cell turnover and immune cell adhesion. Our results further support that CAG expansion in BMECs contributes to BBB dysfunction during HD.

Endothelial Cells and the Cerebral Circulation

Endothelial cells form the innermost layer of all blood vessels and are the only vascular component that remains throughout all vascular segments. The cerebral vasculature has several unique properties not found in the peripheral circulation; this requires that the cerebral endothelium be considered as a unique entity. Cerebral endothelial cells perform several functions vital for brain health. The cerebral vasculature is responsible for protecting the brain from external threats carried in the blood. The endothelial cells are central to this requirement as they form the basis of the blood-brain barrier. The endothelium also regulates fibrinolysis, thrombosis, platelet activation, vascular permeability, metabolism, catabolism, inflammation, and white cell trafficking. Endothelial cells regulate the changes in vascular structure caused by angiogenesis and artery remodeling. Further, the endothelium contributes to vascular tone, allowing proper perfusion of the brain which has high energy demands and no energy stores. In this article, we discuss the basic anatomy and physiology of the cerebral endothelium. Where appropriate, we discuss the detrimental effects of high blood pressure on the cerebral endothelium and the contribution of cerebrovascular disease endothelial dysfunction and dementia. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12:3449-3508, 2022.

Both the Complexity of Tight Junctions and Endothelial Transcytosis Are Increased During BBB Postnatal Development in Rats

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) comprises a single layer of endothelial cells and maintains a safe and homeostatic environment for proper neuronal function and synaptic transmission. BBB is not a discrete physical barrier, but a complex, dynamic, and adaptable interface. BBB continues to mature under the influence of the neural environment within a short period of time after birth. However, the basic mechanism of BBB formation and maintenance remains a mystery. Early studies have identified two structural characteristics of microvascular endothelium: special tight junctions (TJs) and a very low transcellular vesicle transport rate. Previous studies believed that BBB damage was mainly due to the destruction of tight junctions, and the role of vesicle transcytosis was neglected, so there was a lack of research on its impact on blood-brain barrier. It is urgent to get a better clarification of the unique structural and functional characteristics of the BBB endothelium to explain the role of BBB injury in neurological diseases. RNA sequencing was used to study the molecular characterization of cerebral cortex vascular endothelium by isolating them from neonatal, adolescent and adult rats. For investigation the maintenance mechanism of the BBB, we focused on the cellular and molecular regulation of barrier formation and the two characteristics of microvascular endothelial cells. Interestingly, we found that during the development of the blood-brain barrier, although the tight junctions gradually mature, endothelial cell transcytosis is gradually enhanced, resulting in an increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. This study suggested that under physiological conditions, low vesicle transport is playing an important role in maintaining the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. This study not only summarized the unique characteristics of microvascular endothelial cells, but also illustrated a clarified mechanism of the development and maintenance of BBB which can provide new therapeutic opportunities for central nervous system drug delivery. Raw data of RNA sequencing were deposited in NCBI Sequence Read Archive database (PRJNA790676).

An In Vitro Human Blood-Brain Barrier Model to Study Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis

Studying the mechanisms of breast cancer cells in brain metastases is challenging, considering the high specificity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with whom breast cancer cells have to interact and cross in order to reach the brain parenchyma. While numerous in vitro BBB models are available, the setting of the model and phenotype of the endothelial cells (ECs) of the BBB model are essential to obtain relevant results.In this chapter, we describe a method to establish a human in vitro BBB model to study adhesion of breast cancer cells and the adaptation of the method for trans-endothelial migration assay keeping the appropriate BBB phenotype of the ECs.

Brief Developmental Exposure to Fluoxetine Causes Life-Long Alteration of the Brain Transcriptome in Zebrafish

Fluoxetine (FLX) and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are widely used to treat depressive disorders during pregnancy. Early-life exposure to FLX is known to disrupt the normal function of the stress axis in humans, rodents, and teleosts. We used a zebrafish line with a cortisol-inducible fluorescent transgene to study the effects of developmental daily exposure to FLX (54 µg/L) on the transcriptomic profile of brain tissues in exposed larvae and later as 6-month-old adults. High throughput RNA sequencing was conducted on brain tissues in unstressed and stressed conditions. Long-lasting effects of FLX were observed in telencephalon (Tel) and hypothalamus (Hyp) of adult zebrafish with 1927 and 5055 genes significantly (≥1.2 fold-change, false-discovery p-value < 0.05) dysregulated in unstressed condition, respectively. Similar findings were observed in Hyp with 1245 and 723 genes being significantly dysregulated in stressed adults, respectively. Differentially expressed genes converted to Homo sapiens orthologues were used for Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. The results showed alteration of pathways involved in neuroendocrine signaling, cholesterol metabolism and synaptogenesis. Enriched networks included lipid metabolism, molecular transport, and nervous system development. Analysis of putative upstream transcription regulators showed potential dysregulation of clocka and nr3c1 which control circadian rhythm, stress response, cholesterol metabolism and histone modifications. Several genes involved in epigenetic regulation were also affected by FLX, including dnmt3a, adarb1, adarb2, hdac4, hdac5, hdac8, and atf2. We report life-long disruptive effects of FLX on pathways associated with neuroendocrine signaling, stress response and the circadian rhythm, and all of which are implicated in the development of depressive disorders in humans. Our results raise concern for the persistent endocrine-disrupting potential of brief antidepressant exposure during embryonic development.

Brain Barriers and brain fluids research in 2020 and the fluids and barriers of the CNS thematic series on advances in in vitro modeling of the blood-brain barrier and neurovascular unit

This editorial discusses advances in brain barrier and brain fluid research in 2020. Topics include: the cerebral endothelium and the neurovascular unit; the choroid plexus; the meninges; cerebrospinal fluid and the glymphatic system; disease states impacting the brain barriers and brain fluids; drug delivery to the brain. This editorial also highlights the recently completed Fluids Barriers CNS thematic series entitled, Advances in in vitro modeling of the bloodbrain barrier and neurovascular unit. Such in vitro modeling is progressing rapidly.

Pericyte morphology and function

The proper delivery of blood is essential for healthy neuronal function. The anatomical substrate for this precise mechanism is the neurovascular unit, which is formed by neurons, glial cells, endothelia, smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. Based on their particular location on the vessel wall, morphology, and protein expression, pericytes have been proposed as cells capable of regulating capillary blood flow. Pericytes are located around the microvessels, wrapping them with their processes. Their morphology and protein expression substantially vary along the vascular tree. Their contractibility is mediated by a unique cytoskeleton organization formed by filaments of actin that allows pericyte deformability with the consequent mechanical force transferred to the extracellular matrix for changing the diameter. Pericyte ultrastructure is characterized by large mitochondria likely to provide energy to regulate intracellular calcium concentration and fuel contraction. Accordingly, pericytes with compromised energy show a sustained intracellular calcium increase that leads to persistent microvascular constriction. Pericyte morphology is highly plastic and adapted for varying contractile capability along the microvascular tree, making pericytes ideal cells to regulate the capillary blood flow in response to local neuronal activity. Besides the vascular regulation, pericytes also play a role in the maintenance of the blood-brain/retina barrier, neovascularization and angiogenesis, and leukocyte transmigration. Here, we review the morphological and functional features of the pericytes as well as potential specific markers for the study of pericytes in the brain and retina.

Central nervous system delivery of molecules across the blood-brain barrier

Therapies targeting neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases are hampered by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). During the last decades, several approaches have been developed to overcome the BBB, such as the use of nanoparticles (NPs) based on biomaterials, or alternative methods to open the BBB. In this review, we briefly highlight these strategies and the most recent advances in this field. Limitations and advantages of each approach are discussed. Combination of several methods such as functionalized NPs targeting the receptor-mediated transcytosis system with the use of magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound (FUS) might be a promising strategy to develop theranostic tools as well as to safely deliver therapeutic molecules, such as drugs, neurotrophic factors or antibodies within the brain parenchyma.