The effects of 17 beta-estradiol on blood brain barrier integrity in the absence of the estrogen receptor alpha; an in-vitro model

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB), which saves the brain from toxic substances, is formed by endothelial cells. It is mainly composed of tight junction (TJ) proteins existing between endothelial cells. Estrogen is an important regulatory hormone of BBB permeability. It protects the BBB before menopause, but may increase BBB permeability with aging. In addition, nitric oxide modulates BBB permeability. Alcohol impairs the integrity of the BBB with oxidants and inflammatory mediators such as iNOS. We investigated the effects of estrogen on BBB integrity in an in vitro BBB model created with ER alpha-free HUVEC (human umbilical vein endothelial-like cells) to mimics the menopausal period.