Dysfunction of the BBB (blood–brain barrier) is a major hallmark of MS (multiple sclerosis). Studies in our laboratories over the last decade have shown that increased BBB permeability is associated with decreased expression of TJ (tight junction) proteins in brain capillary endothelial cells. Results have revealed that TJ abnormalities were most common in active lesions (42% of vessels affected), but were also present in inactive lesions (23%) and in MS normal-appearing white matter (13%). Importantly, TJ abnormality was also positively associated with leakage of the serum protein fibrinogen which has recently been shown to be an activator of microglia. TJ abnormality and the resultant vascular permeability in both lesional and non-lesional white matter may impair tissue homoeostasis, which may have effects on disease progression, repair mechanisms and drug delivery.
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February 2009
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Conference Article|
January 20 2009
The effects of blood–brain barrier disruption on glial cell function in multiple sclerosis
Stephen McQuaid;
Stephen McQuaid
1
*Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Institute of Pathology, Royal Group of Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BL, U.K.
†Tissue Core Technology Unit, Queen's University, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email s.mcquaid@qub.ac.uk).
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Paula Cunnea;
Paula Cunnea
‡Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, U.K.
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Jill McMahon;
Jill McMahon
§National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, Ireland
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Una Fitzgerald
Una Fitzgerald
§National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, Ireland
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
August 25 2008
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Biochemical Society
2009
Biochem Soc Trans (2009) 37 (1): 329–331.
Article history
Received:
August 25 2008
Citation
Stephen McQuaid, Paula Cunnea, Jill McMahon, Una Fitzgerald; The effects of blood–brain barrier disruption on glial cell function in multiple sclerosis. Biochem Soc Trans 1 February 2009; 37 (1): 329–331. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0370329
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