Blood-brain barrier and blood-nerve barrier in neuroinflammatory diseases
Maeda, T.; Kanda, T.
Nihon Rinsho. Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine 71(5): 789-794
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1852 PMID: 23777083 Document Number: 664361
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-nerve barrier (BNB) restrict exchanges of soluble factors and cells between the blood and neural tissue, thus playing a crucial role in the maintenance of central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) homeostasis. In neuroinflammatory diseases, disruption of the BBB/BNB is the initial key step in the development of inflammatory lesions. BBB/BNB breakdown during inflammation is related to two main processes: (1) leakage between opposing endothelial cells and alteration of junctional components, and (2) leukocyte extravasation into the CNS or PNS. The control of inflammatory cells and humoral factors such as cytokines at the level of BBB/BNB can develop a novel therapeutic strategy toward the inflammatory/autoimmune nervous system disorders.