Saturable mechanism for delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) at the blood-brain barrier of the vascularly perfused guinea pig brain

Cellular uptake of [125I] labelled DSIP at the luminal interface of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was studied in the ipsilateral perfused in situ guinea pig forebrain. Regional unidirectional transfer constants (Kin) calculated from the multiple-time brain uptake analysis were 0.93, 1.33 and 1.66 microliter.min-1 g-1 for the parietal cortex, caudate nucleus and hippocampus, respectively. In the presence of 7 microM unlabelled DSIP the brain uptake of [125I]-DSIP (0.3 nM) was inhibited, the values of Kin being reduced to 0.23-0.38 microliter.min-1 g-1, values that were comparable with the Kin for mannitol. The rapidly equilibrating space of brain, measured from the intercept of the line describing brain uptake versus time on the brain uptake ordinate, Vi, was greater for [125I]-DSIP than for mannitol; in the presence of unlabelled DSIP this was reduced to that of mannitol, and it was suggested that the larger volume for [125I]-DSIP represented binding at specific sites on the brain capillary membrane. L-tryptophan, the N-terminal residue of DSIP, in concentrations of 7 microM and 1 mM, inhibited Kin without affecting Vi. A moderate inhibition of Kin was obtained by vasopressin ([Arg8]-VP), but only at a concentration as high as 0.2 mM. The results suggest the presence of a high affinity saturable mechanism for transport of DSIP across the blood-brain barrier, with subsequent uptake at brain sites that are highly sensitive to L-tryptophan, and may be modulated by [Arg8]-VP.     

Slow Penetration of Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone Across the Blood-Brain Barrier of an In Situ Perfused Guinea Pig Brain

Transport of 3H-labelled thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) across the blood-brain barrier was studied in the ipsilateral perfused in situ guinea pig forebrain. The unidirectional transfer constant (Kin) calculated from the multiple time brain uptake analysis ranged from 1.14 X 10(-3) to 1.22 X 10(-3) ml min-1 g-1, in the parietal cortex, caudate nucleus, and hippocampus. Regional Kin values for [3H]TRH were significantly reduced by 43-48% in the presence of an aminopeptidase and amidase inhibitor, 2 mM bacitracin, suggesting an enzymatic degradation of tripeptide during interaction with the blood-brain barrier. In the presence of unlabelled 1 mM TRH and 2 mM bacitracin together, a reduction of [3H]TRH regional Kin values similar to that obtained with 2 mM bacitracin alone was obtained . L-Prolinamide, the N-terminal residue of tripeptide, at a 10 mM level had no effect on the kinetics of entry of [3H]TRH into the brain. The data indicate an absence of a specific saturable transport mechanism for TRH presented to the luminal side of the blood-brain barrier. It is concluded that intact TRH molecule may slowly penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the rate of transfer being some three times higher than that of D-mannitol.     

Measurement of Solute Transport Across the Blood–Brain Barrier in the Perfused Guinea Pig Brain: Method and Application to N-Methyl-α-Aminoisobutyric Acid

A technique for the vascular perfusion of the guinea pig head in vivo, suitable for measurements of blood-to-brain transport under controlled conditions of arterial inflow, has been developed. With a perfusion pressure ranging between 13 and 18 kPa and PCO2 in the arterial inflow of 5 and 5.5 kPa, cerebral blood flow, measured with [14C]butanol, was about 1 ml min-1 g-1 in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and caudate-putamen of the ipsilateral hemisphere; in the cerebellum and pontine white matter it was considerably less, and much higher perfusion pressures were required to establish equal blood flow throughout the whole brain. Regional water content, Na+/K+ ratio, ATP, energy charge potential, and lactate content of the ipsilateral side of perfused and nonperfused brain were not significantly different after 10 min perfusion. The D-[3H]mannitol space did not exceed 1% after 30 min of perfusion, indicating the integrity of the barrier. Over this period, EEG, ECG, and respiratory waveform remained normal. When [14C]N-methyl-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB), and D-[3H]mannitol were perfused together over periods extending to 30 min progressive uptakes of both solutes by the parietal cortex could be measured, and the unidirectional transfer constants estimated from multiple time-uptake data. The Kin for MeAIB (0.75 X 10(-3) ml min-1 g-1) was some three times that for mannitol. It is concluded that the technique provides a stable, well-controlled environment in the cerebral microvasculature of the ipsilateral perfused brain hemisphere suitable for examining the transport of slowly penetrating solutes into the brain.     

Limited Blood-Brain Barrier Transport of Polyamines

Transport of polyamines across the blood-brain barrier of adult rats was examined by measuring the amount of radioactivity that reached the forebrain 5 s after a "bolus" intracarotid injection. The values were expressed by the brain uptake index (BUI), which is the percentage of material transported in relation to freely diffusible water in a single passage through the brain. Transport was restricted as indicated by the respective BUI values, presented as means +/- SD (number of animals): putrescine, 5.3 +/- 0.8 (11); spermidine, 6.1 +/- 1.3 (7); and spermine, 5.8 +/- 0.5 (4). A kinetic study of the transport of [14C]putrescine showed that transport due to passive diffusion accounted for the majority of the observed influx (66% at 1 mM putrescine). However, a small saturable component exists with a Km value of 4-5 mM and a Vmax of 30 nmol X min-1 X g-1. This Km value is considerably higher than the circulating levels of the polyamine in the normal mature animal, and thus is unlikely to be of physiological significance. Competition studies indicated that putrescine does not interact with carriers for adenosine, arginine, choline, or leucine.     

Transport of Leucine-Enkephalin Across the Blood-Brain Barrier in the Perfused Guinea Pig Brain

Transport of [tyrosyl-3,5-3H]enkephalin-(5-L-leucine) [( 3H]Leu-enkephalin) across the blood-brain barrier was studied in the adult guinea pig, by means of vascular perfusion of the head in vivo. The unidirectional transfer constant (Kin) estimated from the multiple-time uptake data for [3H]Leu-enkephalin ranged from 3.62 X 10(-3) to 3.63 X 10(-3) ml min-1 g-1 in the parietal cortex, caudate nucleus, and hippocampus. Transport of [3H]Leu-enkephalin was not inhibited by unlabelled L-tyrosine (the N-terminal amino acid) at a concentration as high as 5 mM, or by the inhibitor of aminopeptidase activity bacitracin (2 mM), suggesting that there was no enzymatic degradation of peptide at the blood-brain barrier. By contrast, 2 mM unlabelled Leu-enkephalin strongly inhibited the unidirectional blood-to-brain transport of [3H]Leu-enkephalin by 74-78% in the parietal cortex, caudate nucleus, and hippocampus. The tetrapeptide tyrosyl-glycyl-glycyl-phenylalanine (without the C-terminal leucine of Leu-enkephalin), at a concentration of 5 mM, caused a moderate inhibition ranging from 15 to 29% in the brain regions studied, whereas the tetrapeptide glycyl-glycyl-phenylalanyl-leucine (without the N-terminal tyrosine) at 5 mM was without effect on Leu-enkephalin transport. Unidirectional brain uptake of Leu-enkephalin was not altered in the presence of naloxone at a concentration as high as 3 mM (1 mg/ml), suggesting that there is no binding of Leu-enkephalin to opioid receptors at the blood-brain barrier. It is concluded that there is a specific transport mechanism for Leu-enkephalin at the blood-brain barrier in the guinea pig.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Insulin or glucagon choleresis in the isolated perfused guinea pig liver

Insulin and glucagon choleresis was studied in an in situ, isolated perfused guinea pig liver system. Glucagon caused a small, significant increase in bile salt independent flow (1.83 +/- 0.19 to 2.02 +/- 0.23 microliter g-1 min-1), and dose-related increments over 2-16 micrograms were observed. Insulin alone had no choleretic effect. However, the combination of insulin and glucagon caused a response (1.89 +/- 0.15 to 2.42 +/- 0.19) greater than glucagon alone, and insulin stimulated choleresis when glucagon was present in substimulatory amounts. These observations demonstrate direct effects of glucagon and insulin upon the bile secretory apparatus. Glucagon directly stimulates choleresis, while insulin acts more subtly by potentiation with glucagon.     

In Vivo Distribution of CGS-19755 Within Brain in a Model of Focal Cerebral Ischemia

The blood-brain barrier permeability of the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist CGS-19755 [cis-4-(phosphonomethyl)-2-piperidine carboxylic acid] was assessed in normal and ischemic rat brain. The brain uptake index of CGS-19755 relative to iodoantipyrine was assessed using the Oldendorf technique in normal brain. The average brain uptake index in brain regions supplied by the middle cerebral artery was 0.15 +/- 0.35% (mean +/- SEM). The unidirectional clearance of CGS-19755 from plasma across the blood-brain barrier was determined from measurements of the volume of distribution of CGS-19755 in brain. These studies were performed in normal rats and in rats with focal cerebral ischemia produced by combined occlusion of the proximal middle cerebral artery and ipsilateral common carotid artery. In normal rats the regional plasma clearance across the blood-brain barrier was low, averaging 0.015 ml 100 g-1 min-1. In ischemic rats this clearance value averaged 0.019 ml 100 g-1 min-1 in the ischemic hemisphere and 0.009 ml 100 g-1 min-1 in the nonischemic hemisphere. No significant regional differences in plasma clearance of CGS-19755 were observed in either normal or ischemic rats except in cortex injured by electrocautery where a 14-fold increase in clearance across the blood-brain barrier was measured. We conclude that CGS-19755 crosses the blood-brain barrier very slowly, even in acutely ischemic tissue.     

Local Blood-Brain Barrier in the Newborn Rabbit: Postnatal Changes in α-Aminoisobutyric Acid Transfer Within Medulla, Cortex, and Selected Brain Areas

Postnatal changes in local permeability of the blood-brain barrier to an inert neutral amino acid (alpha-[14C]-aminoisobutyric acid) were investigated in 25 rabbits. The local transfer constant (K) for this tracer was measured with quantitative autoradiographic techniques at postnatal ages of 1, 3, 8, and 17 days, and adult. In adults, the amino acid penetrated the blood-brain barrier poorly in most regions examined (K less than 1 microliter.g-1.min-1) except within and in proximity to structures with a relatively leaky blood-brain barrier such as area postrema and choroid plexus. The rate of tracer entry into "impermeable" regions was seven- to 10-fold greater in 1-day-old rabbits than adults and not dependent on active transport. In young animals, there was a pronounced regional variation in K with the lowest values occurring in white matter and the highest in gray matter such as cerebral cortex, posterior thalamus, and hippocampus. During postnatal development, K decreased (p less than 0.01) with most regions having values near those of adults by 17 days of age. The results indicate that the blood-brain barrier of the newborn rabbit is relatively leaky to a small hydrophilic nonelectrolyte with a distribution that is heterogeneous regionally. Irrespective of age, such blood-borne substances can accumulate in certain brain areas considered to have impermeable vessels (e.g., nucleus tractus solitarii).     

Blood–Brain Barrier Transport of Valproic Acid

Valproic acid distribution in brain is less than that of other anticonvulsants such as phenytoin or phenobarbital. Possible mechanisms for this decreased distribution space in brain include (a) increased plasma protein binding of valproate relative to the other anticonvulsants and (b) asymmetric blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport of valproate such that the brain-to-blood flux exceeds the blood-to-brain flux. These mechanisms are investigated in the present studies using the intracarotid injection technique in rats and rabbits. In the rat, the brain uptake index (BUI) of [14C]valproate relative to [3H]water is 51 +/- 6%, indicating the blood-to-brain transport of water is twofold greater than that of valproate. However, the BUI of [14C]valproate relative to [3H]water decreased with time after carotid injection during a 4-min washout period, which indicates that brain-to-blood transport of valproate is greater than that of water. This suggests that the permeability of the BBB to valproate is polarized, with antiluminal permeability being much greater than luminal permeability. In rabbits, the BUI of [14C]valproate is 47 +/- 7% in newborns and 17 +/- 6% in adult animals. However, the high drug extraction in newborns may be attributed to decreased cerebral blood flow in the neonate as the BBB permeability-surface area (PS) products are unchanged (e.g., PS = 0.13 and 0.11 ml min-1 X g-1 in the newborn and adult rabbit, respectively). With regard to plasma protein binding effects on valproate transport, brain valproate uptake was also measured in the presence of human, lamb, pig, rat, horse, goat, hamster, dog, and mouse sera. Higher brain uptakes were observed when the unbound fraction of drug increased. However, our data indicate that a fraction of the valproic acid entering the capillaries bound to plasma proteins had the capacity to equilibrate with brain because of enhanced drug dissociation from albumin in the brain microcirculation. Since plasma protein-bound valproate is available for uptake by brain, the major factor underlying the diminished distribution of the drug in brain appears to be the asymmetric transport properties of the BBB to valproic acid.     

Simultaneous diffusion of inositol and mannitol in the rat brain

The diffusion of both inositol and mannitol has been determined simultaneously by the integral bolus method in rat brain. The permeability constant (Kin) of inositol averaged 0.27 +/- 0.02 ml X (100 g)-1 X min-1 or 4 X 10(-7) cm X s-1 at a cerebral capillary surface area of 100 cm2 x g-1. The permeability of mannitol was 0.08 +/- 0.01 ml X (100 g)-1. min-1 or 1 X 10(-7) cm X s-1. Neither glucose nor galactose affected the inositol permeability. Hypoglycemia increased somewhat the Km value for mannitol. The basal ganglia showed an increase Km for both substrates as compared with those obtained for cortex, temporal and parietal tissues.     

Serotonin Synthesis Rate Measured in Living Dog Brain by Positron Emission Tomography

In vivo measurements by positron emission tomography of the brain serotonin synthesis rates in the normal dog, in the dog with increased plasma tryptophan concentration, and in the dog under different arterial oxygen tensions are described. The method described here permits repeated measurements in the same brain for the first time. An increase in the plasma tryptophan concentration from 16.6 to 191.5 and then to 381 microM resulted in close to a linear increase in the brain serotonin synthesis rate. When PaO2 was raised from 76 +/- 2 to 106 +/- 1 mm Hg, the rate of serotonin synthesis in the dog brain increased from 39 +/- 8 to 54 +/- 10 pmol g-1 min-1. The estimates of the Michaelis-Menten constants, Kappm and Vmax, for the transport of tryptophan through the blood-brain barrier are 303 +/- 54 microM and 63 +/- 10 nmol g-1 min-1, respectively.     

Heat production, blood flow, O2 uptake and CO2 output in the secretary process of the dog submandibular gland (author's transl)

1. Under normal circulation of the dog submandibular gland, the electrical stimulation induced a massive salivary secretion (about 0.35 ml . min-1.g-1 gland weight) and an increase in the glandular temperature (about 0.2 degrees C). The heat production was calculated of about 60 mW.g-1. 2. Clamping of the glandular artery made both of secretion and heat production to be transient. The early peak of secretion was about 0.12 ml.min-1.g and that of heat production was 7 approximately 10mW,g-1. Then each 1 ml secretion followed about 4.6 J heat production. 3. Under constant blood flow in the glandular circulation, the secretory process was divided clearly into 2 phases of peak and plateau. The glandular temperature increased about 0.12 degrees C with an early temperature drop. In the secretory plateau phase, the secretary rate was about 0.043 ml.min-1.g-1, the heat production was about 5 approximately 7 mW.g-1 and each 1 ml secretion caused about 8.2 J heat production. 4. The rate of oxygen uptake was about 20.9 microl.min-1g-1 at the resting state. The maximum during secretion was about 192 microliter.min-1.g-1. THe half time of the recovery process of O2 uptake tended slightly longer than that of heat production. 5. THe rate of CO2 output was about 21.8 microliter.min-1.g-1 at resting. The maximum during secretion was about 142 microliter.min-1.g-1 R. Q. were about 1 at resting and about 0.74 under secretion.     

Blood-brain barrier to hydrogen ion during acute metabolic acidosis in piglets

The present study investigates the integrity of the blood-brain barrier to H+ or HCO3- during acute plasma acidosis in 35 newborn piglets anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. Cerebrospinal fluid acid-base balance, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and cerebral oxygenation were measured after infusion of HCl (0.6 N, 0.191-0.388 ml/min) for a period of 1 h at a constant arterial PCO2 of 35-40 Torr. HCl infusion resulted in decreased arterial pH from 7.38 +/- 0.01 to 7.00 +/- 0.02 (P less than 0.01). CBF measured by the tracer microsphere technique was decreased by 12% from 69 +/- 6 to 61 +/- 4 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (P less than 0.05). Infusion of 0.6 N NaCl as a hypertonic control had no effect on CBF. Cerebral metabolic rate for O2 and O2 extraction was not significantly changed from control (3.83 +/- 0.20 ml.min-1.100 g-1 and 5.7 +/- 0.6 ml/100 ml, respectively) during acid infusion. Cerebral venous PO2 was increased from 41.6 +/- 2.1 to 53.8 +/- 4.0 Torr by HCl infusion (P less than 0.02) associated with a shift in O2-hemoglobin affinity of blood in vivo from 38 +/- 2 to 50 +/- 1 Torr. Cisternal cerebrospinal fluid pH decreased from 7.336 +/- 0.014 to 7.226 +/- 0.027 (P less than 0.005), but cerebrospinal fluid HCO3- concentration was not changed from control (25.4 +/- 1.0 meq/l). These data suggest that there is a functional blood-brain barrier in newborn piglets, that is relatively impermeable to HCO3- or H+ and maintains cerebral perivascular pH constant in the face of acute severe arterial acidosis. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Methylene blue inhibits hypoxic cerebral vasodilation in awake sheep.

Cerebral vasodilation in hypoxia may involve endothelium-derived relaxing factor-nitric oxide. Methylene blue (MB), an in vitro inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, was injected intravenously into six adult ewes instrumented chronically with left ventricular, aortic, and sagittal sinus catheters. In normoxia, MB (0.5 mg/kg) did not alter cerebral blood flow (CBF, measured with 15-microns radiolabeled microspheres), cerebral O2 uptake, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, cerebral lactate release, or cerebral O2 extraction fraction (OEF). After 1 h of normobaric poikilocapnic hypoxia (arterial PO2 40 Torr, arterial O2 saturation 50%), CBF increased from 51 +/- 5.8 to 142 +/- 18.8 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1, cerebral O2 uptake from 3.5 +/- 0.25 to 4.7 +/- 0.41 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1, cerebral lactate release from 2 +/- 10 to 100 +/- 50 mumol.min- x 100 g-1, and heart rate from 107 +/- 5 to 155 +/- 9 beats/min (P < 0.01). MAP and OEF were unchanged from 91 +/- 3 mmHg and 48 +/- 4%, respectively. In hypoxia, 30 min after MB (0.5 mg/kg), CBF declined to 79.3 +/- 11.7 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1 (P < 0.01), brain O2 uptake (4.3 +/- 0.9 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1) and heart rate (133 +/- 9 beats/min) remained elevated, cerebral lactate release became negative (-155 +/- 60 mumol.min-1 x 100 g-1, P < 0.01), OEF increased to 57 +/- 3% (P < 0.01), and MAP (93 +/- 5 mmHg) was unchanged. The sheep became behaviorally depressed, probably because of global cerebral ischemia. These results may be related to interference with a guanylate cyclase-dependent mechanism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evaluation of the Role of P-Glycoprotein in Ivermectin Uptake by Primary Cultures of Bovine Brain Microvessel Endothelial Cells

The P-glycoprotein efflux system located on the apical membrane of brain capillary endothelial cells functions as part of the blood-brain barrier. In this study, primary cultures of bovine brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs) were investigated for the presence of a P-glycoprotein system and its contribution in regulating ivermectin distribution across the blood-brain barrier. Results of rhodamine 123 uptake studies with cyclosporin A and verapamil as substrates indicated that a functional efflux system was present on BMECs. Immunoblot analysis with the C219 monoclonal antibody to the product of the multidrug resistant member 1(MDR1) gene also confirmed the expression of MDR1 in the BMECs. Unbound ivermectin was shown to significantly increase the uptake of rhodamine 123 in BMECs, however, the drug only modestly enhanced the transcellular passage of rhodamine. The results of these studies affirmed that unbound ivermectin is an inhibitor of the MDR1 efflux system in BMECs.     

N omega-nitro-L-arginine influences cerebral metabolism in awake sheep.

Cerebral vasodilation in hypoxia may involve endothelium-derived relaxing factor-nitric oxide (NO). An inhibitor of NO formation, N omega-nitro-L-arginine (LNA, 100 micrograms/kg i.v.), was given to conscious sheep (n = 6) during normoxia and again in hypocapnic hypoxia (arterial PO2 approximately 38 Torr). Blood samples were obtained from the aorta and sagittal sinus, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured with 15-microns radiolabeled microspheres. During normoxia, LNA elevated (P < 0.05) mean arterial pressure from 82 +/- 3 to 88 +/- 2 (SE) mmHg and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) from 72 +/- 3 to 79 +/- 3 mmHg, CBF was unchanged, and cerebral lactate release (CLR) rose temporarily from 0.0 +/- 1.9 to 13.3 +/- 8.7 mumol.min-1 x 100 g-1 (P < 0.05). The glucose-O2 index declined (P < 0.05) from 1.67 +/- 0.16 to 1.03 +/- 0.4 mumol.min-1 x 100 g-1. Hypoxia increased CBF from 59.9 +/- 5.4 to 122.5 +/- 17.5 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1 and the glucose-O2 index from 1.75 +/- 0.43 to 2.49 +/- 0.52 mumol.min-1 x 100 g-1 and decreased brain CO2 output, brain respiratory quotient, and CPP (all P < 0.05), while cerebral O2 uptake, CLR, and CPP were unchanged. LNA given during hypoxia decreased CBF to 77.7 +/- 11.8 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1 and cerebral O2 uptake from 154 +/- 22 to 105.2 +/- 12.4 mumol.min-1 x 100 g-1 and further elevated mean arterial pressure to 98 +/- 2 mmHg (all P < 0.05), CLR was unchanged, and, surprisingly, brain CO2 output and respiratory quotient were reduced dramatically to negative values (P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Brain Transfer Coefficients for 67Ga: Comparison to 55Fe and Effect of Calcium Deficiency

The transfer coefficients (Kin) for the uptake of gallium-67 (67Ga) into brain and CSF were determined in unanesthetized male Fischer-344 rats fed either a normal or a low-Ca diet. Kin for 67Ga was also compared with transfer coefficients for the uptake of iron-55 (55Fe) and 125I-albumin in control animals. The value of CSF 67Ga Kin was 3 x 10(-7) ml.g-1.s-1 and was 50% larger in low-Ca animals. Brain regional Kin values for 67Ga were 3-9 x 10(-7) ml.g-1.s-1 with no differences in Kin between normal and low-Ca rats. CSF Kin values for 55Fe were 40% and those for albumin were 15% of Kin for 67Ga. For brain, Kin values for 55Fe were 15-40% smaller than for 67Ga, but for albumin the Kin values were 85% less than for 67Ga. 67Ga was found to be 99% bound to plasma proteins, whereas 55Fe was 99.9% bound. The results indicate that metals that are primarily bound to transferrin enter the CSF and brain very slowly. Uptake of both metals was faster than albumin, which may indicate that metal bound to small chelates contributes significantly to brain uptake. In addition, Ca deficiency does not enhance entry of Ga into the brain.     

Synthesis of Apolipoprotein A-1 in Pig Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells

In an approach toward the identification of hitherto unknown proteins involved in the function of the blood-brain barrier, we constructed a pig brain microvessel-derived cDNA library that is enriched in blood-brain barrier specific sequences by means of subtractive cloning. Sequence analysis of selected clones revealed that one of the cDNAs encoded porcine apolipoprotein (apo) A-1. The identity of apo A-1 mRNA was further confirmed by in vitro translation of RNA from brain microvascular endothelial cells and subsequent immunoprecipitation with an antibody against human apo A-1. We further investigated the expression of apo A-1 mRNA in several tissues and in endothelial cells of the pig. It is shown that cultured brain microvascular endothelial cells provide an in vitro model to study the expression and function of apo A-1 in the microvasculature of the brain.     

Ouabain-Sensitive Choline Transport System in Capillaries Isolated from Bovine Brain

In physiological conditions, there is a net transport of choline from brain to blood, despite the fact that the choline concentration is higher in plasma than in CSF. Because of the blood-brain barrier characteristics, such passage against the concentration gradient takes place necessarily through endothelial cells. To get a better understanding of this phenomenon, [3H]choline uptake properties have been analyzed in capillaries isolated from bovine brain. [3H]Choline uptake was linear with time for up to 1 h. Nonlinear regression analysis of the uptake rates at different substrate concentrations gave the best fit to a system of two components, one of which was saturable (Km = 17.8 +/- 4.8 microM; Vmax = 11.3 +/- 3.4 pmol/min/mg of protein) and the other of which was nonsaturable at concentrations up to 200 microM. The [3H]choline transport was significantly reduced in the absence of sodium and after incubation with 10(-4) M ouabain for 30 min. Ouabain also inhibited choline uptake in purified cerebral endothelial cells, but not in the endothelium isolated from bovine aorta. Accordingly, cerebral endothelial cells were able to concentrate [3H]choline, with this effect being abolished by ouabain, whereas in aortic endothelial cells the [3H]choline intracellular concentration was never higher than that of the incubation medium. These results suggest that the blood-brain barrier endothelium is specifically provided with an energy-dependent choline transport system, which may explain the choline efflux from the brain and the maintenance of a low choline concentration in the cerebral extracellular space.