Researchers from UWA and the Perron Institute have discovered a new set of cells which can protect blood vessel structure in the central nervous system, know as the blood-brain barrier.
Published in the journal Science Advances last week, the research discovered a new set of brain cells which can control the integrity of the blood-brain barrier.
The blood-brain barrier, or BBB, is a network of blood vessels that supply essential nutrients to the brain and protect it from toxins and pathogens circulating.
The BBB deteriorates with age, with the permeable nature of the cells increasing and the leakiness allowing unwanted proteins and potentially harmful molecules to enter the brain.
Inflammation and vascular changes associated with ageing can also impact the integrity of the BBB.
One of the scientists behind the discovery, Perron Institute brain and bone research axis head professor Minghao Zheng, said the discovery could help abate age-related reduction in the function of the blood-brain barrier.
“We identified a new set of astrocytes (type of brain cells) that can control the integrity of the blood-brain barrier,” he said.
“This newly discovered subset of astrocytes expressed a protein found in bone tissue called dentin matrix protein 1.
“These cells generate ‘endfeet’ and transfer mitochondria to endothelial cells which line the blood vessels of the central nervous system.”
Prof Zheng said a reduction in the function of the astrocytes inhibited mitochondrial transfer and caused leakage of the blood-brain barrier.
“Mitochondrial transfer from astrocytes to blood vessel cells was identified as crucial to the maintenance of the blood-brain barrier,” he said.
“Our findings give new insights into the cellular framework that underpins the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier that occurs in ageing and disease, and provide a target for the development of treatment regimes.”
The findings were made as part of a PhD recently completed by joint first author Dr Delin Liu in collaboration with Professor Zheng, associate professor Junjie Gao.
Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital national centre for orthopaedics director Professor Changqing Zhang was also involved in the research.