Local experts detect new mechanism for brain disease
A discovery by local medical experts related to the blood-brain barrier has been published by world-leading journal Science Advances.
Local medical experts have detected a new mechanism affecting the blood-brain barrier (BBB), providing a new target for the treatment of intracerebral vascular disease.
The blood-brain barrier is the crucial physical filtration structure in the central nervous system. It protects the neural tissues and mediates the central nervous system's balance and stability by supplying essential nutrients for the brain, as well as enhancing the discharge of waste products, and regulating ionic traffic in the neural microenvironment.
BBB dysfunction has emerged as a major pathological contributor in many CNS-related disorders, including brain injury, stroke, aging, and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
"Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms of the BBB structural and functional integrity is vital for the treatment of CNS-related disorders," said Dr Zhang Changqing from Shanghai 6th People's Hospital, whose doctors investigated the role of a specific subset of astrocytes in the regulation of BBB integrity.
"We found a mechanism in which astrocytes regulate BBB integrity through mitochondrial transfer. The discovery provides innovative insights into the cellular framework that underpins the progressive breakdown of BBB associated with aging and disease. It is important for new medicine and therapy research development," he said.
The research was published by world-leading journal Science Advances.
