biostudies-literatureLiu HEducational Department of Liaoning ProvinceNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaNatural Science Foundation of Liaoning ProvinceDepartment of Science and Technology of Liaoning Provincee202103098https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10067974biostudies-literatureUnknown222(5)Microvascular basement membrane (BM) plays a pivotal role in the interactions of astrocyte with endothelium to maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB) homeostasis; however, the significance and precise regulation of the endothelial cell-derived BM component in the BBB remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that conditional knockout of Atg7 in endothelial cells (Atg7-ECKO) leads to astrocyte-microvascular disassociation in the brain. Our results reveal astrocytic endfeet detachment from microvessels and BBB leakage in Atg7-ECKO mice. Furthermore, we find that the absence of endothelial Atg7 downregulates the expression of fibronectin, a major BM component of the BBB, causing significantly reduced coverage of astrocytes along cerebral microvessels. We reveal Atg7 triggers the expressThe Journal of cell biologyEndothelial depletion of Atg7 triggers astrocyte-microvascular disassociation at blood-brain barrier.PMC100679743217110831171291LT201600420170520420317712582019JH2/10300020317010243157105731870832Liu HCao LWei JYZhao WDYue JLShang DSJin YPFang WGWang LZhang HYTong PGLiu DXLi YBan MSun QChen YHZhao DLi BWang KJWang HJfalseEndothelial depletion of Atg7 triggers astrocyte-microvascular disassociation at blood-brain barrier.Microvascular basement membrane (BM) plays a pivotal role in the interactions of astrocyte with endothelium to maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB) homeostasis; however, the significance and precise regulation of the endothelial cell-derived BM component in the BBB remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that conditional knockout of Atg7 in endothelial cells (Atg7-ECKO) leads to astrocyte-microvascular disassociation in the brain. Our results reveal astrocytic endfeet detachment from microvessels and BBB leakage in Atg7-ECKO mice. Furthermore, we find that the absence of endothelial Atg7 downregulates the expression of fibronectin, a major BM component of the BBB, causing significantly reduced coverage of astrocytes along cerebral microvessels. We reveal Atg7 triggers the express2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 May2026-05-29T08:04:18.452Z2025-04-05T15:23:25.742ZS-EPMC100679743699536810.1083/jcb.202103098