Mechanisms of neuropsychiatric lupus: The relative roles of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier versus blood-brain barrier.

ABSTRACT: The pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) is believed to include the entry of circulating neuropathic antibodies to the brain via a pathologically permeable blood-brain barrier (BBB). Nevertheless, direct evidence of BBB pathology or mechanisms underlying BBB dysfunction is missing. Here, we examined BBB integrity in an established NPSLE mouse model (MRL/fas^lpr/lpr). Surprisingly, challenging the barrier with various exogenous tracers demonstrated insignificant changes in BBB permeability. Furthermore, electron microscopy showed no ultrastructure changes supporting hyper-permeability. However, we found that abnormal function of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) in the choroid plexus underlies brain exposure to neuropathic antibodies. Considerable intrathecal

SUBMITTER: Gelb S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5994369 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature