The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly specialized structural and biochemical barrier that regulates the entry of blood-borne molecules into brain, and preserves ionic homeostasis within the brain microenvironment. BBB properties are primarily determined by junctional complexes between the cerebral endothelial cells. These complexes are comprised of tight and adherens junctions. Such restrictive angioarchitecture at the BBB reduces paracellular diffusion, while minimal vesicle transport activity in brain endothelial cells limits transcellular transport. Under normal conditions, this largely prevents the extravasation of large and small solutes (unless specific transporters are present) and prevents migration of any type of blood-borne cell. However, this is changed in many pathological conditions. There, BBB disruption ("opening") can lead to increased paracellular permeability, allowing entry of leukocytes into brain tissue, but also contributing to edema formation. In parallel, there are changes in the endothelial pinocytotic vesicular system resulting in the uptake and transfer of fluid and macromolecules into brain parenchyma. This review highlights the route and possible factors involved in BBB disruption in a variety of neuropathological disorders (e.g. CNS inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy). It also summarizes proposed signal transduction pathways that may be involved in BBB "opening".

Background and Purpose— In humans, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) causes marked perihematomal edema formation and neurological deficits. A rat ICH model, involving infusion of autologous blood into the caudate, has been used extensively to study mechanisms of edema formation, but an examination of behavioral outcome would improve its preclinical utility and provide a more rigorous assessment of the pathological cascade of events over time. The purpose of this study was to use a battery of sensorimotor function tests to examine the neurological effects of ICH in the rat and to examine which components of the hematoma are involved in generating those effects. Methods— The behavioral tests used were forelimb placing, preference for forelimb use for weight shifts during vertical exploration of a cylindrical enclosure, and a corner turn test. Rats were tested from day 1 to day 28 after injection of autologous whole blood; injection of blood plus hirudin (thrombin inhibitor), packed red blood cells, thrombin, or saline; or needle placement only. Results— The battery of tests indicated that there were marked neurological deficits by day 1 after ICH, with progressive recovery of function over 4 weeks. The forelimb placing score paralleled changes in edema. Injection of thrombin caused and injection of hirudin reduced the ICH-induced neurological deficits. Injection of packed red blood cells, which causes delayed edema formation, induced delayed neurological deficits Conclusions— These tests allow continuous monitoring of neurological deficits after rat ICH and assessment of therapeutic interventions. The time course of the neurological deficit closely matched the time course of cerebral edema for both ICH and injection of blood components. There was marked recovery of function after ICH, which may be amenable to therapeutic manipulation.

The mechanism and long-term consequences of early blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption after cerebral ischaemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury are poorly understood. Here we discover that I/R induces subtle BBB leakage within 30–60 min, likely independent of gelatinase B/MMP-9 activities. The early BBB disruption is caused by the activation of ROCK/MLC signalling, persistent actin polymerization and the disassembly of junctional proteins within microvascular endothelial cells (ECs). Furthermore, the EC alterations facilitate subsequent infiltration of peripheral immune cells, including MMP-9-producing neutrophils/macrophages, resulting in late-onset, irreversible BBB damage. Inactivation of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) causes sustained actin polymerization in ECs, whereas EC-targeted overexpression of constitutively active mutant ADF reduces actin polymerization and junctional protein disassembly, attenuates both early- and late-onset BBB impairment, and improves long-term histological and neurological outcomes. Thus, we identify a previously unexplored role for early BBB disruption in stroke outcomes, whereby BBB rupture may be a cause rather than a consequence of parenchymal cell injury.