Loss of filamentous actin, tight junction protein expression, and paracellular barrier integrity in Frataxin-deficient human brain microvascular endothelial cells -implications for blood-brain barrier physiology in Friedreich's Ataxia

Frances M. SMITH, Daniel Kosman; Front. Mol. Biosci. Sec. Lipids, Membranes and Membranous Organelles, Volume 10 - 2023 | doi:10.3389/fmolb.2023.1299201

We identified that insufficient FXN levels in the hBMVEC BBB model causes changes in cytoskeletal architecture and tight junction protein abundance, coincident with increased barrier permeability. Changes in the integrity of the BBB may be related to patient brain iron accumulation, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and stroke. Furthermore, our findings implicate other barrier cells, e.g., the cardiac microvasculature, as loci of disease pathology in FRDA.