Brief Communication
Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism (2009) 29, 39–43; doi:10.1038/jcbfm.2008.94; published online 27 August 2008
Neuregulin-1 signaling in brain endothelial cells
The study was supported by NIH Grants R01-NS37074, R01-NS48422, R01-NS53560, R01-NS35884, P50-NS10828, P01-NS55104, and P30-NS045776.
Josephine Lok1,2, S Pablo Sardi3, Shuzhen Guo1, Elaine Besancon1, Duy M Ha1, Anna Rosell1, Woo Jean Kim1, Gabriel Corfas3 and Eng H Lo1
- 1Neuroprotection Research Laboratory, Departments of Radiology and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 2Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 3Neurobiology Program, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Correspondence: Dr J Lok, Neuroprotection Research Laboratory, MGH East 149-2401, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. E-mail: jlok1@partners.org
Received 3 July 2007; Revised 18 June 2008; Accepted 24 July 2008; Published online 27 August 2008.
Abstract
Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) signaling has multiple functions in neurons and glia. The data in this study show that NRG1 may also possess significant signaling and cytoprotective properties in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Neuregulin-1 mRNA and protein expression are present in these cells, and NRG1 receptors erbB2 and erbB3 are phosphorylated in response to NRG1. Neuregulin-1 triggers clear biologic responses in BMECs—elevated phospho-Akt levels, increased ring formation in a Matrigel assay, and decreased cell death after oxidative injury with H2O2. These data suggest that NRG1 signaling is functional and cytoprotective in BMECs.
Keywords:
blood-brain barrier, erbB, neuregulin, neuroprotection, neurovascular unit, oxidative stress
