Cited by 52Barrier Structure and Function StudiesDrug Transport and Resistance MechanismsMetabolism and Genetic Disorders

Modeling and rescue of defective blood–brain barrier function of induced brain microvascular endothelial cells from childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy patients

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Lee, Catherine A. A., Seo, Hannah S., Armien, Anibal G., Bates, Frank S., Tolar, Jakub, Azarin, Samira M.·2018·Fluids and Barriers of the CNS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene. 40% of X-ALD patients will convert to the deadly childhood cerebral form (ccALD) characterized by increased permeability of the brain endothelium that constitutes the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Mutation information and molecular markers investigated to date are not predictive of conversion. Prior reports have focused on toxic metabolic byproducts and reactive oxygen species as instigators of cerebral inflammation and subsequent immune cell invasion leading to BBB breakdown. This study focuses on the BBB itself and evaluates differences in brain endothelium integrity using cells from ccALD patients and wild-type (WT) controls. METHODS: The blood-brain barrier of ccALD patients and WT controls was modeled using directed differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into induced brain microvascular endothelial cells (iBMECs). Immunocytochemistry and PCR confirmed characteristic expression of brain microvascular endothelial cell (BMEC) markers. Barrier properties of iBMECs were measured via trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER), sodium fluorescein permeability, and frayed junction analysis. Electron microscopy and RNA-seq were used to further characterize disease-specific differences. Oil-Red-O staining was used to quantify differences in lipid accumulation. To evaluate whether treatment with block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide) (PEO-PPO) could mitigate defective properties, ccALD-iBMECs were treated with PEO-PPO block copolymers and their barrier properties and lipid accumulation levels were quantified. RESULTS: ). They also accumulated lipid droplets to a greater extent than WT-iBMECs. Upon treatment with a PEO-PPO diblock copolymer during the differentiation process, an increase in TEER and a reduction in lipid accumulation were observed for the polymer treated ccALD-iBMECs compared to untreated controls. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that BBB integrity is decreased in ccALD and can be rescued with block copolymers opens the door for the discovery of BBB-specific molecular markers that can indicate the onset of ccALD and has therapeutic implications for preventing the conversion to ccALD.

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Crossref · 10.1186/s12987-018-0094-5

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  • iPSC-derived microvascular endothelial cells from cALD patients exhibited LD accumulation.

    “iPSC-derived microvascular endothelial cells from cALD patients exhibited only half-normal transendothelial electrical resistance and LD accumulation [491].”

    From Revisiting the Pathogenesis of X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (2025) · cites this paper as [491]

  • iPSC-derived microvascular endothelial cells from cALD patients exhibited only half-normal transendothelial electrical resistance.

    “iPSC-derived microvascular endothelial cells from cALD patients exhibited only half-normal transendothelial electrical resistance and LD accumulation [491].”

    From Revisiting the Pathogenesis of X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (2025) · cites this paper as [491]

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Authors
Lee, C. A. A., Seo, H. S., Armien, A. G., Bates, F. S., Tolar, J., & Azarin, S. M.
Affiliations
University of Minnesota (US)
Corresponding author
  • Tolar, Jakub
  • Azarin, Samira M.
Venue
Fluids and Barriers of the CNS
Published
2018-04-04
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
9-9
ISSN
2045-8118 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2796392395
Cited by
52
References
106
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4
FWCI
2.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Fluids and Barriers of the CNS (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01AR063070)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Barrier Structure and Function Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Drug Transport and Resistance Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Clinical Biochemistry › Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
Keywords
childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, blood-brain barrier integrity, ABCD1 gene, iPSC-derived endothelial cells, transendothelial electrical resistance, lipid accumulation, blood-brain barrier permeability, lipid droplets
MeSH terms
Adrenoleukodystrophy, Blood-Brain Barrier, Capillary Permeability, Cell Differentiation, Cell Line, Humans, Models, Biological, Polymers, Electric Impedance, Neuroprotective Agents, Cell Culture Techniques, Endothelial Cells, Microvessels, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Transcriptome, Lipid Droplets

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