Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Astrocytes enhance radical defence in capillary endothelial cells constituting the blood‐brain barrier

1999; Wiley; Volume: 449; Issue: 2-3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0014-5793(99)00451-2

1873-3468

Matthias L. Schroeter, Katharina Mertsch, Helga Giese, Sebastian Müller, Anje Sporbert, Barbara Hickel, Ingolf E. Blasig,

Electron Spin Resonance Studies

Astrocytes (AC) induce blood‐brain barrier (BBB) properties in brain endothelial cells (EC). As antioxidative activity (AOA) is assumed to be a BBB characteristic, we tested whether AC improve AOA of EC. Monocultivated AC showed higher AOA [manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (Cat), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] than EC. Cocultivation elevated AOA in EC (MnSOD, CuZnSOD, Cat, GPx), and AC (MnSOD, CuZnSOD, GPx). Hypoxia increased radical‐induced membrane lipid peroxidation in monocultivated, but not in cocultivated EC. Thus, EC/AC cocultivation intensifies AOA in both cell types, protects the EC, and therefore, the BBB against oxidative stress. The high AOA is regarded as an essential property of the BBB, which is induced by AC.