Circulating Exosomes from Alzheimer's Disease Suppress Vascular Endothelial-Cadherin Expression and Induce Barrier Dysfunction in Recipient Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cell

Jiani Bei, Ernesto G. Miranda-Morales, Qini Gan, Yuan Qiu, Sorosh Husseinzadeh, Jia Yi Liew, Qing Chang, Balaji Krishnan, Angelo Gaitas, Subo Yuan, Michelle Felicella, Wei Qiao Qiu, Xiang Fang, Bin Gong

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown is a crucial aspect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Dysfunction in BBB is primarily caused by impaired tight junction and adherens junction proteins in brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). The role of adherens junctions in AD-related BBB dysfunction remains unclear. Exosomes from senescent cells have unique characteristics and contribute to modulating the phenotype of recipient cells. However, it remains unknown if and how these exosomes cause BMEC dysfunction in AD. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of AD circulating exosomes on brain endothelial dysfunction. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from sera of AD patients and age- and sex-matched cognitively normal controls using size-exclusion chromatography. The study measured the biomechanical nature of BMECs' endothelial barrier, the lateral binding forces between live BMECs. Paracellular expressions of the key adherens junction protein vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin were visualized in BMEC cultures and a 3D BBB model using human BMECs and pericytes. VE-cadherin signals were also examined in brain tissues from AD patients and normal controls. Results: Circulating exosomes from AD patients reduced VE-cadherin expression levels and impaired barrier function in recipient BMECs. Immunostaining analysis demonstrated that AD exosomes damaged VE-cadherin integrity in a 3D microvascular tubule formation model. The study found that AD exosomes weakened BBB integrity depending on their RNA content. Additionally, diminished microvascular VE-cadherin expression was observed in AD brains compared to controls. Conclusion: These findings highlight the significant role of circulating exosomes from AD patients in damaging adherens junctions of recipient BMECs, dependent on exosomal RNA.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)869-885
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Alzheimer's Disease
Volume95
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 26 2023

Keywords

  • 3D microvascular model
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • VE-cadherin
  • blood-brain barrier
  • endothelial barrier dysfunction
  • exosome
  • fluidic AFM

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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