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Meningeal lymphatic dysfunction exacerbates traumatic brain injury pathogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading global cause of death and disability. Here we demonstrate in an experimental mouse model of TBI that mild forms of brain trauma cause severe deficits in meningeal lymphatic drainage that begin within hours and last out to at least one month post-injury. To investigate a mechanism underlying impaired lymphatic function in TBI, we examined how increased intracranial pressure (ICP) influences the meningeal lymphatics. We demonstrate that increased ICP can contribute to meningeal lymphatic dysfunction. Moreover, we show that pre-existing lymphatic dysfunction before TBI leads to increased neuroinflammation and negative cognitive outcomes. Finally, we report that rejuvenation of meningeal lymphatic drainage function in aged mice can ameliorate TBI-induced gliosis. These findings provide insights into both the causes and consequences of meningeal lymphatic dysfunction in TBI and suggest that therapeutics targeting the meningeal lymphatic system may offer strategies to treat TBI.

SUBMITTER: Bolte AC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7483525 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Meningeal lymphatic dysfunction exacerbates traumatic brain injury pathogenesis.

Bolte Ashley C AC Dutta Arun B AB Hurt Mariah E ME Smirnov Igor I Kovacs Michael A MA McKee Celia A CA Ennerfelt Hannah E HE Shapiro Daniel D Nguyen Bao H BH Frost Elizabeth L EL Lammert Catherine R CR Kipnis Jonathan J Lukens John R JR

Nature communications 20200910 1

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading global cause of death and disability. Here we demonstrate in an experimental mouse model of TBI that mild forms of brain trauma cause severe deficits in meningeal lymphatic drainage that begin within hours and last out to at least one month post-injury. To investigate a mechanism underlying impaired lymphatic function in TBI, we examined how increased intracranial pressure (ICP) influences the meningeal lymphatics. We demonstrate that increased ICP can c ...[more]

PMID: 32913280

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Project description:The meninges serve as a functional barrier surrounding the brain, critical to the immune response, and can be compromised following head trauma. Meningeal enhancement can be detected on contrast-enhanced MRI in patients presenting with acute traumatic brain injury, even when head CT is negative. Following head trauma, gadolinium-based contrast appears to extravasate from the vasculature, enhancing the dura within minutes, and later permeates the subarachnoid space. The aims of this study were to characterize the initial kinetics of the uptake of contrast agent after injury and the delayed redistribution of contrast enhancement in the subarachnoid space in hyperacute patients. Neuroimaging was obtained prospectively in two large ongoing observational studies of patients aged 18 years or older presenting to the emergency department with suspected acute head injury. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI studies in a cohort of consecutively enrolling patients with mild traumatic brain injury (n = 36) determined that the kinetic half-life of dural-related meningeal enhancement was 1.3 ± 0.6 min (95% enhancement within 6 min). The extravasation of contrast into the subarachnoid space was investigated in a cohort of CT negative mild traumatic brain injury patients initially imaged within 6 h of injury (hyperacute) who subsequently underwent a delayed MRI, with no additional contrast administration, several hours after the initial MRI. Of the 32 patients with delayed post-contrast imaging, 18 (56%) had conspicuous expansion of the contrast enhancement into the subarachnoid space, predominantly along the falx and superior sagittal sinus. Patients negative for traumatic meningeal enhancement on initial hyperacute MRI continued to have no evidence of meningeal enhancement on the delayed MRI. These studies demonstrate that (i) the initial enhancement of the traumatically injured meninges occurs within minutes of contrast injection, suggesting highly permeable meningeal vasculature, and that (ii) contrast in the meninges redistributes within the subarachnoid space over the period of hours, suggesting a compromise in the blood-brain and/or blood-cerebrospinal barriers. Data from the parent study indicate that up to one in two patients with mild traumatic brain injury have traumatic brain injury on acute (<48 h) MRI, with a higher prevalence seen in patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury. The current study's findings of traumatic meningeal enhancement and the subsequent delayed extravasation of contrast into the subarachnoid spaces indicate that a substantial percentage of patients with even mild traumatic brain injury may have a transient disruption in barriers separating the vasculature from the brain.

Project description:BackgroundSepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is an acute cerebral dysfunction caused by sepsis. Neuroinflammation induced by sepsis is considered a potential mechanism of SAE; however, very little is known about the role of the meningeal lymphatic system in SAE.MethodsSepsis was established in male C57BL/6J mice by intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide, and the function of meningeal lymphatic drainage was assessed. Adeno-associated virus 1-vascular endothelial growth factor C (AAV1-VEGF-C) was injected into the cisterna magna to induce meningeal lymphangiogenesis. Ligation of deep cervical lymph nodes (dCLNs) was performed to induce pre-existing meningeal lymphatic dysfunction. Cognitive function was evaluated by a fear conditioning test, and inflammatory factors were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe aged mice with SAE showed a significant decrease in the drainage of OVA-647 into the dCLNs and the coverage of the Lyve-1 in the meningeal lymphatic, indicating that sepsis impaired meningeal lymphatic drainage and morphology. The meningeal lymphatic function of aged mice was more vulnerable to sepsis in comparison to young mice. Sepsis also decreased the protein levels of caspase-3 and PSD95, which was accompanied by reductions in the activity of hippocampal neurons. Microglia were significantly activated in the hippocampus of SAE mice, which was accompanied by an increase in neuroinflammation, as indicated by increases in interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and Iba1 expression. Cognitive function was impaired in aged mice with SAE. However, the injection of AAV1-VEGF-C significantly increased coverage in the lymphatic system and tracer dye uptake in dCLNs, suggesting that AAV1-VEGF-C promotes meningeal lymphangiogenesis and drainage. Furthermore, AAV1-VEGF-C reduced microglial activation and neuroinflammation and improved cognitive dysfunction. Improvement of meningeal lymphatics also reduced sepsis-induced expression of disease-associated genes in aged mice. Pre-existing lymphatic dysfunction by ligating bilateral dCLNs aggravated sepsis-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment.ConclusionThe meningeal lymphatic drainage is damaged in sepsis, and pre-existing defects in this drainage system exacerbate SAE-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. Promoting meningeal lymphatic drainage improves SAE. Manipulation of meningeal lymphangiogenesis could be a new strategy for the treatment of SAE.

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Meningeal lymphatic dysfunction exacerbates traumatic brain injury pathogenesis.

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Meningeal lymphatic dysfunction exacerbates traumatic brain injury pathogenesis.

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