The Blood-Brain Barrier and Its Intercellular Junctions in Age-Related Brain Disorders

Laura Costea, Ádám Mészáros, Hannelore Bauer, Hans-Christian Bauer, Andreas Traweger, Imola Wilhelm, Attila E Farkas, István A Krizbai

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftReview articlePeer-reviewed

Abstract

With age, our cognitive skills and abilities decline. Maybe starting as an annoyance, this decline can become a major impediment to normal daily life. Recent research shows that the neurodegenerativedisordersresponsibleforageassociatedcognitivedysfunctionaremechanistically linked to the state of the microvasculature in the brain. When the microvasculature does not function properly,ischemia,hypoxia,oxidativestressandrelatedpathologicprocessesensue,furtherdamaging vascular and neural function. One of the most important and specialized functions of the brain microvasculatureistheblood–brainbarrier(BBB),whichcontrolsthemovementofmoleculesbetween blood circulation and the brain parenchyma. In this review, we are focusing on tight junctions (TJs), the multiprotein complexes that play an important role in establishing and maintaining barrier function. After a short introduction of the cell types that modulate barrier function via intercellular communication, we examine how age, age related pathologies and the aging of the immune system affects TJs. Then, we review how the TJs are affected in age associated neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Lastly, we summarize the TJ aspects of Huntington’s diseaseandschizophrenia. Barrierdysfunctionappearstobeacommondenominatorinneurological disorders, warranting detailed research into the molecular mechanisms behind it. Learning the commonalities and differences in the pathomechanism of the BBB injury in different neurological disorders will predictably lead to development of new therapeutics that improve our life as we age.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer5472
Seitenumfang28
FachzeitschriftInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
Jahrgang20
Ausgabenummer21
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 3 Nov. 2019

Systematik der Wissenschaftszweige 2012

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