TGF-Beta Modulates the Integrity of the Blood Brain Barrier In Vitro, and Is Associated with Metabolic Alterations in Pericytes.

ABSTRACT: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a selectively permeable boundary that separates the circulating blood from the extracellular fluid of the brain and is an essential component for brain homeostasis. In glioblastoma (GBM), the BBB of peritumoral vessels is often disrupted. Pericytes, being important to maintaining BBB integrity, can be functionally modified by GBM cells which induce proliferation and cell motility via the TGF-β-mediated induction of central epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) factors. We demonstrate that pericytes strengthen the integrity of the BBB in primary endothelial cell/pericyte co-cultures as an in vitro BBB model, using TEER measurement of the barrier integrity. In contrast, this effect was abrogated by TGF-β or conditioned medium from TGF-β secreting GBM cel

SUBMITTER: Schumacher L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9855966 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature