Dysfunction of blood-brain barrier in cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Abstract

Increasing evidence demonstrated that the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was involved in developing cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). The BBB participates in the neurovascular coupling and regulates the transport of substances, which is closely related to neurodegenerative diseases. In CAA, the deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) in arteries, capillaries, and arterioles of meninges and cerebral cortex results in the destruction of the BBB, chronic inflammatory response, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, and dysfunction of the neurovascular unit, which eventually leads to neurodegeneration. At the same time, CAA is an age-related disease. Patients with CAA often have some risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, which can further aggravate the damage to the BBB. Thus, it is of great significance to pay attention to the BBB in the pathogenesis and future intervention targets of CAA. Therefore, this manuscript reviewed the dysfunction of the BBB in CAA.

Keywords

cerebral amyloid angiopathy / cerebrovascular endothelial cells / blood-brain barrier