Finally, we discussed several biomarkers that can help to assess the BBB permeability and integrity in-vitro or in-vivo and briefly explain their advantages and disadvantages.īlood–brain barrier CNS Degenerative Disruption Integrity Markers Neuroinflammation Permeability TEER Tight junctions Transcytosis. Furthermore, we elaborated on the clinical aspects that correlate between BBB disruption and different neurological and pathological conditions. Microglia, considered the long-living resident immune cells of the brain, play a vital role in BBB function. The BBB consists of endothelial cells surrounded by astrocytes. After a stroke, the blood-brain barrier subsequently breaks down. We also explained the role of shear stress in maintaining BBB integrity. It is well-known that stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability all over the world. The different cells and structures contributing to developing this barrier are summarized along with the different functions that BBB plays at the brain-blood interface. Thus, the functional and structural integrity of the BBB is pivotal to maintain the homeostasis of the brain microenvironment. This study was partially supported by a National Institute on Aging-funded COVID-19 supplement to a shared RF1 grant of Banks and Raber.The blood-brain barrier is playing a critical role in controlling the influx and efflux of biological substances essential for the brain's metabolic activity as well as neuronal function. “Many of the effects that the COVID virus has could be accentuated or perpetuated or even caused by virus getting in the brain and those effects could last for a very long time.” “You do not want to mess with this virus,” he said. This observation might relate to the increased susceptibility of men to more severe COVID-19 outcomes.Īs for people taking the virus lightly, Banks has a message: Raber said in their experiments transport of S1 was faster in the olfactory bulb and kidney of males than females. “We know that when you have the COVID infection you have trouble breathing and that’s because there’s infection in your lung, but an additional explanation is that the virus enters the respiratory centers of the brain and causes problems there as well,” said Banks. The study could explain many of the complications from COVID-19. They enlisted long-time collaborator Jacob Raber, a professor in the departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurology, and Radiation Medicine, and his teams at Oregon Health & Science University. But they put their work on hold and all 15 people in the lab started their experiments on the S1 protein in April. The Banks’ lab studies the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer’s, obesity, diabetes, and HIV. “It was like déjà vu,” said Banks, who has done extensive work on HIV-1, gp120, and the blood-brain barrier. Both cross the blood-brain barrier and S1, like gp120, is likely toxic to brain tissues. Both these proteins function as the arms and hand for their viruses by grabbing onto other receptors. They are glycoproteins – proteins that have a lot of sugars on them, hallmarks of proteins that bind to other receptors. The infected person is left with brain fog, fatigue and other cognitive issues.īanks and his team saw this reaction with the HIV virus and wanted to see if the same was happening with SARS CoV-2.īanks said the S1 protein in SARS-CoV2 and the gp 120 protein in HIV-1 function similarly. The immune system, upon seeing the virus and its proteins, overreacts in its attempt to kill the invading virus. In science circles, the intense inflammation caused by the COVID-19 infection is called a cytokine storm. “The S1 protein likely causes the brain to release cytokines and inflammatory products,” he said. Banks said binding proteins like S1 usually by themselves cause damage as they detach from the virus and cause inflammation. Banks, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Healthcare System physician and researcher. Usually, the virus does the same thing as its binding protein, said lead author William A. The spike protein, often called the S1 protein, dictates which cells the virus can enter. This strongly suggests that SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, can enter the brain. In a study published Dec.16 in Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that the spike protein, often depicted as the red arms of the virus, can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, like many viruses before it, is bad news for the brain. More and more evidence is coming out that people with COVID-19 are suffering from cognitive effects, such as brain fog and fatigue.Īnd researchers are discovering why.
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