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Updated: May 1, 2026
Isolation and Functional Analysis of Arteriolar Endothelium of Mouse Brain Parenchyma
Published on: March 11, 2022
The proteome of mouse cerebral arteries
AmanPreet Badhwar1, Danica B Stanimirovic2, Edith Hamel1
1Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Insights
This study identifies proteins in the mouse Circle of Willis (CW) arteries using advanced proteomics. The findings offer a new resource for understanding CW protein expression in brain health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Proteomics
- Cerebrovascular Biology
Background:
- The cerebral vasculature, particularly the Circle of Willis (CW), is crucial for brain function.
- Alterations in CW arteries are linked to cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Protein expression profiles in CW arteries are not well-characterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a comprehensive protein expression profile of mouse CW arteries.
- To identify proteins involved in CW arterial function and structure.
- To establish a resource for studying CW protein changes in disease.
Main Methods:
- Proteomics analysis of surgically removed mouse CW arteries.
- Utilized gel-free nanoLC-MS/MS and gel-based GelLC-MS/MS for maximal proteome coverage.
- Employed nanoAcquity UPLC coupled with ESI-LTQ Orbitrap XL mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- Identified 2,188 proteins with at least 2 unique high-scoring peptides (6,630 total proteins).
- Classified proteins based on function, including vasoactivity, blood-brain barrier specificity, and extracellular matrix components.
- Compared the CW arterial proteome with the brain microvascular proteome.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first extensive proteomic database of mouse CW arteries.
- The identified proteins provide insights into CW arterial function and potential disease mechanisms.
- This resource aids future research into cerebral arterial protein expression in health and disease.
Abstract:
The cerebral vasculature ensures proper cerebral function by transporting oxygen, nutrients, and other substances to the brain. Distribution of oxygenated blood throughout the neuroaxis takes place at the level of the circle of Willis (CW). While morphologic and functional alterations in CW arteries and its main branches have been reported in cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, accompanying changes in protein expression profiles remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, we performed proteomics to compile a novel list of proteins present in mouse CW arteries and its ramifications. Circle of Willis arteries were surgically removed from 6-month-old wild-type mice, proteins extracted and analyzed by two proteomics approaches, gel-free nanoLC-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS and gel-based GelLC-MS/MS, using nanoAcquity UPLC coupled with ESI-LTQ Orbitrap XL. The two approaches helped maximize arterial proteome coverage. Six biologic and two technical replicates were performed. In all, 2,188 proteins with at least 2 unique high-scoring peptides were identified (6,630 proteins total). Proteins were classified according to vasoactivity, blood-brain barrier specificity, tight junction and adhesion molecules, membrane transporters/channels, and extracellular matrix/basal lamina proteins. Furthermore, we compared the identified CW arterial proteome with the published brain microvascular proteome. Our database provides a vital resource for the study of CW cerebral arterial protein expression profiles in health and disease.
