Monocytes Release Pro-Cathepsin D to Drive Blood-to-Brain Transcytosis in Diabetes

Microvascular complications are the major outcome of type 2 diabetes progression, and the underlying mechanism remains to be determined.

High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed using human monocyte samples from controls and diabetes. The transgenic mice expressing human CTSD (cathepsin D) in the monocytes was constructed using CD68 promoter. In vivo 2-photon imaging, behavioral tests, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, Western blot analysis, vascular leakage assay, and single-cell RNA sequencing were performed to clarify the phenotype and elucidate the molecular mechanism.

Monocytes expressed high-level CTSD in patients with type 2 diabetes. The transgenic mice expressing human CTSD in the monocytes showed increased brain microvascular permeability resembling the diabetic microvascular phenotype, accompanied by cognitive deficit. Mechanistically, the monocytes release nonenzymatic pro-CTSD to upregulate caveolin expression in brain endothelium triggering caveolae-mediated transcytosis, without affecting the paracellular route of brain microvasculature. The circulating pro-CTSD activated the caveolae-mediated transcytosis in brain endothelial cells via its binding with low-density LRP1 (lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1). Importantly, genetic ablation of CTSD in the monocytes exhibited a protective effect against the diabetes-enhanced brain microvascular transcytosis and the diabetes-induced cognitive impairment.

These findings uncover the novel role of circulatory pro-CTSD from monocytes in the pathogenesis of cerebral microvascular lesions in diabetes. The circulatory pro-CTSD is a potential target for the intervention of microvascular complications in diabetes.