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An in vitro blood-brain barrier model combining shear stress and endothelial cell/astrocyte co-culture.

ABSTRACT: In vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models can be useful for understanding leukocyte-endothelial interactions at this unique vascular-tissue interface. Desirable features of such a model include shear stress, non-transformed cells and co-cultures of brain microvascular endothelial cells with astrocytes. Recovery of transmigrated leukocytes for further analysis is also appealing.We report an in vitro BBB model for leukocyte transmigration incorporating shear stress with co-culture of conditionally immortalized human endothelial cell line (hBMVEC) and human astrocyte cell line (hAST). Transmigrated leukocytes can be recovered for comparison with input and non-transmigrated cells.hBMVEC and hAST exhibited physiological and morphological BBB properties when cocultured back-to-back on membranes. In particular, astrocyte processes protruded through 3 ?m membrane pores, terminating in close proximity to the hBMVEC with a morphology reminiscent of end-feet. Co-culture with hAST also decreased the permeability of hBMVEC. In our model, astrocytes promoted transendothelial leukocyte transmigration.This model offers the opportunity to evaluate whether BBB properties and leukocyte transmigration across cytokine-activated hBMVEC are influenced by human astrocytes.We present a BBB model for leukocyte transmigration incorporating shear stress with co-culture of hBMVEC and hAST. We demonstrate that hAST promoted leukocyte transmigration and also increased certain barrier functions of hBMVEC. This model provides reproducible assays for leukocyte transmigration with robust results, which will enable further defining the relationships among leukocytes and the cellular elements of the BBB.

SUBMITTER: Takeshita Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4122330 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An in vitro blood-brain barrier model combining shear stress and endothelial cell/astrocyte co-culture.

Takeshita Yukio Y Obermeier Birgit B Cotleur Anne A Sano Yasuteru Y Kanda Takashi T Ransohoff Richard M RM

Journal of neuroscience methods 20140522

<h4>Background</h4>In vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models can be useful for understanding leukocyte-endothelial interactions at this unique vascular-tissue interface. Desirable features of such a model include shear stress, non-transformed cells and co-cultures of brain microvascular endothelial cells with astrocytes. Recovery of transmigrated leukocytes for further analysis is also appealing.<h4>New methods</h4>We report an in vitro BBB model for leukocyte transmigration incorporating shear ...[more]

PMID: 24858797

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Project description:Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) remains a leading cause of encephalitis, globally, which continues to grow in importance despite the availability of vaccines. Viral entry into the brain can occur via the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and inflammation at the BBB is a common final pathway in many brain infections. However, the role of the BBB during JEV infection and the contribution of the endothelial and astrocytic cell inflammation in facilitating virus entry into the brain are incompletely understood. We established a BBB model using human brain endothelial cells (HBECs) and human astrocytes. HBECs are polarised, and therefore the model was inoculated by JEV from the apical side to simulate the in vivo situation. The effects of JEV on the BBB permeability and release of inflammatory mediators from both apical and basolateral sides, representing the blood and the brain side respectively were investigated. JEV infected HBECs with limited active virus production, before crossing the BBB and infecting astrocytes. Control of JEV production by HBECs was associated with a significant increase in permeability, and with elevation of many host mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, cellular adhesion molecules, and matrix metalloproteases. When compared to the controls, significantly higher amounts of mediators were released from the apical side as opposed to the basolateral side. The increased release of mediators over time also correlated with increased BBB permeability. Treatment with dexamethasone led to a significant reduction in the release of interleukin 6 (IL6), C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) from the apical side with a reduction in BBB disruption and no change in JEV production. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that JEV infection of the BBB triggers the production of a range of host mediators from both endothelial cells and astrocytes, which control JEV production but disrupt BBB integrity thus allowing virus entry into the brain. Dexamethasone treatment controlled the host response and limited BBB disruption in the model without increasing JEV production, supporting a re-investigation of its use therapeutically.

Project description:BackgroundPrimary brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) are a promising tool to study the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vitro, as they maintain many important characteristics of the BBB in vivo, especially when co-cultured with pericytes and/or astrocytes. A novel strategy for drug delivery to the brain is to transform BCECs into protein factories by genetic modifications leading to secretion of otherwise BBB impermeable proteins into the central nervous system. However, a huge challenge underlying this strategy is to enable transfection of non-mitotic BCECs, taking a non-viral approach. We therefore aimed to study transfection in primary, non-mitotic BCECs cultured with defined BBB properties without disrupting the cells' integrity.MethodsPrimary cultures of BCECs, pericytes and astrocytes were generated from rat brains and used in three different in vitro BBB experimental arrangements, which were characterised based on a their expression of tight junction proteins and other BBB specific proteins, high trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER), and low passive permeability to radiolabeled mannitol. Recombinant gene expression and protein synthesis were examined in primary BCECs. The BCECs were transfected using a commercially available transfection agent Turbofect™ to express the red fluorescent protein HcRed1-C1. The BCECs were transfected at different time points to monitor transfection in relation to mitotic or non-mitotic cells, as indicated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis after 5-and 6-carboxylfluorescein diacetate succinidyl ester incorporation.ResultsThe cell cultures exhibited important BBB characteristics judged from their expression of BBB specific proteins, high TEER values, and low passive permeability. Among the three in vitro BBB models, co-culturing with BCECs and astrocytes was well suited for the transfection studies. Transfection was independent of cell division and with equal efficacy between the mitotic and non-mitotic BCECs. Importantly, transfection of BCECs exhibiting BBB characteristics did not alter the integrity of the BCECs cell layer.ConclusionsThe data clearly indicate that non-viral gene therapy of BCECs is possible in primary culture conditions with an intact BBB.

Project description:Hypoglycemia impairs blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial function; a major hallmark in the pathogenesis of various CNS disorders. Previously, we have demonstrated that prolonged hypoglycemic exposure down-regulated BBB endothelial NF-E2 related factor-2 (Nrf2) expression; a redox-sensitive transcriptional factor that regulates endothelial function. Here, we sought to determine the functional role of Nrf2 in preserving BBB integrity and molecular mechanisms underlying hypoglycemia-induced Nrf2 down-regulation in vitro using human cerebral microvascular endothelial cell line (hCMEC/D3). Cell monolayers were exposed to normal or hypoglycemic (5.5 or 2.2mM D-glucose) media for 3-24h. Pharmacological or gene manipulation (by silencing RNA) approaches were used to investigate specific molecular pathways implicated in hypoglycemia-induced Nrf2 degradation. BBB integrity was assessed by paracellular permeability to labeled dextrans of increasing molecular sizes (4-70kDa). Silencing Nrf2 expression in hCMEC/D3 cells abrogated the expression of claudin-5 and VE-cadherin, while ZO-1 was up-regulated. These effects were paralleled by a decrease in electrical resistance of hCMEC/D3 monolayers and potential increase in permeability to all labeled dextrans. Hypoglycemic exposure (3-24h) led to progressive and sustained down-regulation of Nrf2 (without affecting mRNA) and its target, NQO-1, with a concomitant increase in the cytosolic pool of E3 ubiquitin ligase, Siah2 (but not Keap1). Pretreatment with protease inhibitor MG132, or selective knock-down of Siah2 (but not Keap1) significantly attenuated hypoglycemia-induced Nrf2 destabilization. While hypoglycemic exposure triggered a significant increase in BBB permeability to dextrans, silencing Siah2 gene abrogated the effects of hypoglycemia and restored BBB integrity. In summary, our data indicate a potential role for Nrf2 signaling in regulating tight junction integrity and maintaining BBB function. Nrf2 suppression by increased Siah2-driven proteasomal degradation mediates hypoglycemia-evoked endothelial dysfunction and loss of BBB integrity. Overall, this study suggests that sustained activation of endothelial Nrf2 signaling could have therapeutic potential to prevent hypoglycemia-induced cerebrovascular dysfunction.

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An in vitro blood-brain barrier model combining shear stress and endothelial cell/astrocyte co-culture.

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An in vitro blood-brain barrier model combining shear stress and endothelial cell/astrocyte co-culture.

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