Inhibition of the myosin light chain kinase prevents hypoxia-induced blood-brain barrier disruption

Increased mortality after stroke is associated with development of brain edema. The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution of endothelial myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation to hypoxia-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening. Measurements of trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER) were performed to analyse BBB integrity in an in vitro co-culture model (bovine brain microvascular endothelial cells (BEC) and rat astrocytes). Brain fluid content was analysed in rats after stroke induction using a two-vein occlusion model. Dihydroethidium was used to monitor intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in BEC. MLC phosphorylation was detected using immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis. Hypoxia caused a decrease of TEER values by more than 40%, which was prevented by inhibition of the MLC-kinase (ML-7, 10 micromol/L). In addition, ML-7 significantly reduced the brain fluid content in vivo after stroke. The NAD(P)H-oxidase inhibitor apocynin (500 micromol/L) prevented the hypoxia-induced TEER decrease. Hypoxia-dependent ROS generation was completely abolished by apocynin. Furthermore, ML-7 and apocynin blocked hypoxia-dependent phosphorylation of MLC. Our data demonstrate that hypoxia causes a breakdown of the BBB in vitro and in vivo involving ROS and the contractile machinery.     

Differential modulation of retinal degeneration by Ccl2 and Cx3cr1 chemokine signalling

Microglia and macrophages are recruited to sites of retinal degeneration where local cytokines and chemokines determine protective or neurotoxic microglia responses. Defining the role of Ccl2-Ccr2 and Cx3cl1-Cx3cr1 signalling for retinal pathology is of particular interest because of its potential role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ccl2, Ccr2, and Cx3cr1 signalling defects impair macrophage trafficking, but have, in several conflicting studies, been reported to show different degrees of age-related retinal degeneration. Ccl2/Cx3cr1 double knockout (CCDKO) mice show an early onset retinal degeneration and have been suggested as a model for AMD. In order to understand phenotypic discrepancies in different chemokine knockout lines and to study how defects in Ccl2 and/or Cx3cr1 signalling contribute to the described early onset retinal degeneration, we defined primary and secondary pathological events in CCDKO mice. To control for genetic background variability, we compared the original phenotype with that of single Ccl2, Cx3cr1 and Ccl2/Cx3cr1 double knockout mice obtained from backcrosses of CCDKO with C57Bl/6 mice. We found that the primary pathological event in CCDKO mice develops in the inferior outer nuclear layer independently of light around postnatal day P14. RPE and vascular lesions develop secondarily with increasing penetrance with age and are clinically similar to retinal telangiectasia not to choroidal neovascularisation. Furthermore, we provide evidence that a third autosomal recessive gene causes the degeneration in CCDKO mice and in all affected re-derived lines and subsequently demonstrated co-segregation of the naturally occurring RD8 mutation in the Crb1 gene. By comparing CCDKO mice with re-derived CCl2(-/-)/Crb1(Rd8/RD8), Cx3cr1(-/-)/Crb1(Rd8/RD8) and CCl2(-/-)/Cx3cr1(-/-)/Crb1(Rd8/RD8) mice, we observed a differential modulation of the retinal phenotype by genetic background and both chemokine signalling pathways. These findings indicate that CCDKO mice are not a model of AMD, but a model for an inherited retinal degeneration that is differentially modulated by Ccl2-Ccr2 and Cx3cl1-Cx3cr1 chemokine signalling.     

Fluvastatin prevents glutamate-induced blood-brain-barrier disruption in vitro

Glutamate is an important excitatory amino acid in the central nervous system. Under pathological conditions glutamate levels dramatically increase. Aim of the present study was to examine whether the HMG-CoA inhibitor fluvastatin prevents glutamate-induced blood-brain-barrier (BBB) disruption. Measurements of transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) were performed to analyze BBB integrity in an in vitro co-culture model of brain endothelial and glial cells. Myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation was detected by immunohistochemistry, or using the in-cell western technique. Intracellular Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed using the fluorescence dyes Ca-green or DCF. Glutamate induced a time- (1-3 h) and concentration- (0.25-1 mmol/l) dependent decrease of TEER values that was blocked by the NMDA-receptor antagonist MK801, the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA, the NAD(P)H-oxidase inhibitor apocynin and the MLC-kinase inhibitor ML-7. Furthermore we observed a concentration-dependent increase of intracellular Ca2+ and ROS after glutamate application. Glutamate caused an increase of MLC phosphorylation that was antagonized by apocynin, or BAPTA, indicating that Ca2+ and ROS signaling is involved in the activation of the contractile machinery. Fluvastatin (10-25 micromol/l) completely abolished the glutamate-induced barrier disruption and oxidative stress. The BBB-protecting effect of fluvastatin was completely lost if the cells were treated with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-NMMA (300 micromol/l). In the present study we demonstrated that glutamate-induced BBB disruption involves Ca2+ signalling via NMDA receptors, which is followed by an increased ROS generation by the NAD(P)H-oxidase. This oxidative stress then activates the MLC kinase. Fluvastatin preserves barrier function in a NO-dependent way and reduces glutamate-induced oxidative stress.     

Novel fluorescent core-shell nanocontainers for cell membrane transport

The synthesis and characterization of novel core-shell macromolecules consisting of a fluorescent perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxdiimide chromophore in the center surrounded by a hydrophobic polyphenylene shell as a first and a flexible hydrophilic polymer shell as a second layer was presented. Following this strategy, several macromolecules bearing varying polymer chain lengths, different polymer shell densities, and increasing numbers of positive and negative charges were achieved. Because all of these macromolecules reveal a good water solubility, their ability to cross cellular membranes was investigated. In this way, a qualitative relationship between the molecular architecture of these macromolecules and the biological response was established.     

Fetal loss in homozygous mutant Norrie disease mice: a new role of Norrin in reproduction

Mutations in the Norrie disease pseudoglioma gene (NDP) are known to cause X-linked recessive Norrie disease. In addition, NDP mutations have been found in other vasoproliferative retinopathies such as familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and Coats disease, suggesting a role for Norrin in vascular development. Here we report that female mice homozygous for the Norrie disease pseudoglioma homolog (Ndph) knockout allele exhibit almost complete infertility, while heterozygous females and hemizygous males are fertile. Histological examinations and RNA in situ hybridization analyses revealed defects in vascular development and decidualization in pregnant Ndph-/- females from embryonic day 7 (E7) onwards, resulting in embryonic loss. Using RT-PCR analyses we also demonstrate, for the first time, the expression of Ndph in mouse uteri and deciduae as well as the expression of NDP in human placenta. Taken together, these data provide strong evidence for Norrin playing an important role in female reproductive tissues.     

The functional role of the second NPXY motif of the LRP1 beta-chain in tissue-type plasminogen activator-mediated activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors

The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) emerges to play fundamental roles in cellular signaling pathways in the brain. One of its prominent ligands is the serine proteinase tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), which has been shown to act as a key activator of neuronal mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways via the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. However, here we set out to examine whether LRP1 and the NMDA receptor might eventually act in a combined fashion to mediate tPA downstream signaling. By blocking tPA from binding to LRP1 using the receptor-associated protein, we were able to completely inhibit NMDA receptor activation. Additionally, inhibition of NMDA receptor calcium influx with MK-801 resulted in dramatic reduction of tPA-mediated downstream signaling. This indicates a functional interaction between the two receptors, since both experimental approaches resulted in strongly reduced calcium influx and Erk1/2 phosphorylation. Additionally, we were able to inhibit Erk1/2 activation by competing for the LRP1 C-terminal binding motif with a truncated PSD95 construct resembling its PDZ III domain. Furthermore, we identified the distal NPXY amino acid motif in the C terminus of LRP1 as the crucial element for LRP1-NMDA receptor interaction via the adaptor protein PSD95. These results provide new insights into the mechanism of a tPA-induced, LRP1-mediated gating mechanism for NMDA receptors.     

A Novel In Vitro Model to Study Pericytes in the Neurovascular Unit of the Developing Cortex

Cortical function is impaired in various disorders of the central nervous system including Alzheimer’s disease, autism and schizophrenia. Some of these disorders are speculated to be associated with insults in early brain development. Pericytes have been shown to regulate neurovascular integrity in development, health and disease. Hence, precisely controlled mechanisms must have evolved in evolution to operate pericyte proliferation, repair and cell fate within the neurovascular unit (NVU). It is well established that pericyte deficiency leads to NVU injury resulting in cognitive decline and neuroinflammation in cortical layers. However, little is known about the role of pericytes in pathophysiological processes of the developing cortex. Here we introduce an in vitro model that enables to precisely study pericytes in the immature cortex and show that moderate inflammation and hypoxia result in caspase-3 mediated pericyte loss. Using heterozygous EYFP-NG2 mouse mutants we performed live imaging of pericytes for several days in vitro. In addition we show that pericytes maintain their capacity to proliferate which may allow cell-based therapies like reprogramming of pericytes into induced neuronal cells in the presented approach.