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The blood-brain barrier and the inflammatory response
V H Perry1, D C Anthony, S J Bolton
1Dept. of Pharmacology, University of Oxford U.K. Victor.perry@pharmacology.oxford.ac.uk
Molecular Medicine Today
|August 1, 1997
Summary
Leukocytes, or white blood cells, can enter the brain even with an intact blood-brain barrier (BBB). This entry occurs in both healthy and diseased states, challenging previous assumptions about immune cell surveillance in the central nervous system.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The brain's environment is protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a specialized endothelial barrier.
- It is widely believed that the BBB prevents leukocyte entry into the central nervous system (CNS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the capacity of leukocytes to cross an intact blood-brain barrier.
- To explore the implications of leukocyte infiltration in neurological diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent evidence from animal models.
- Analysis of leukocyte behavior in both healthy and diseased CNS environments.
Main Results:
- Recent evidence demonstrates that leukocytes can traverse an intact BBB.
- Leukocyte entry into the brain parenchyma occurs in neurological conditions like Alzheimer's disease, prion diseases, and AIDS-related dementia, without apparent BBB breakdown.
Conclusions:
- The assumption that the BBB completely blocks leukocyte entry is incorrect.
- Further research is needed to understand the factors governing BBB integrity and the mechanisms of leukocyte brain infiltration in health and disease.