Ca2+ homeostasis in brain microvascular endothelial cells

Roberta Stoica; Călin Mircea Rusu; Cristina Elena Staicu; Andreea Elena Burlacu; Mihai Radu; Beatrice Mihaela Radu

doi:10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.01.001

Ca²⁺ homeostasis in brain microvascular endothelial cells

Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2021:362:55-110. doi: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.01.001. Epub 2021 Feb 27.

Authors

Roberta Stoica¹, Călin Mircea Rusu¹, Cristina Elena Staicu², Andreea Elena Burlacu³, Mihai Radu⁴, Beatrice Mihaela Radu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Life and Environmental Physics, 'Horia Hulubei' National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Măgurele, Romania.
² Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Center for Advanced Laser Technologies, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Măgurele, Romania.
³ Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.
⁴ Department of Life and Environmental Physics, 'Horia Hulubei' National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Măgurele, Romania.
⁵ Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Life, Environmental and Earth Sciences Division, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: beatrice.radu@bio.unibuc.ro.

PMID: 34253298
DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.01.001

Abstract

Blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) lining the wall of brain capillaries. Its integrity is regulated by multiple mechanisms, including up/downregulation of tight junction proteins or adhesion molecules, altered Ca²⁺ homeostasis, remodeling of cytoskeleton, that are confined at the level of BMVECs. Beside the contribution of BMVECs to BBB permeability changes, other cells, such as pericytes, astrocytes, microglia, leukocytes or neurons, etc. are also exerting direct or indirect modulatory effects on BBB. Alterations in BBB integrity play a key role in multiple brain pathologies, including neurological (e.g. epilepsy) and neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis etc.). In this review, the principal Ca²⁺ signaling pathways in brain microvascular endothelial cells are discussed and their contribution to BBB integrity is emphasized. Improving the knowledge of Ca²⁺ homeostasis alterations in BMVECa is fundamental to identify new possible drug targets that diminish/prevent BBB permeabilization in neurological and neurodegenerative disorders.

Keywords: BBB permeabilization; Blood brain barrier; Ca(2+) homeostasis; Neurodegenerative disorders.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain / blood supply*
Calcium / metabolism*
Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
Homeostasis*
Humans
Ion Channels / metabolism
Microvessels / cytology*

Substances

Ion Channels
Calcium