Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging
As the most abundant cell types in the brain, astrocytes form a tissue-wide signaling network that is responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and regulating various brain activities. Here, we review some of the essential functions that astrocytes perform in supporting neurons, modulating the i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/11/6217 |
| _version_ | 1797493058833481728 |
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| author | Marcela K. Preininger Daniela Kaufer |
| author_facet | Marcela K. Preininger Daniela Kaufer |
| author_sort | Marcela K. Preininger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the most abundant cell types in the brain, astrocytes form a tissue-wide signaling network that is responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and regulating various brain activities. Here, we review some of the essential functions that astrocytes perform in supporting neurons, modulating the immune response, and regulating and maintaining the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Given their importance in brain health, it follows that astrocyte dysfunction has detrimental effects. Indeed, dysfunctional astrocytes are implicated in age-related neuropathology and participate in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we review two mechanisms by which astrocytes mediate neuropathology in the aging brain. First, age-associated blood–brain barrier dysfunction (BBBD) causes the hyperactivation of TGFβ signaling in astrocytes, which elicits a pro-inflammatory and epileptogenic phenotype. Over time, BBBD-associated astrocyte dysfunction results in hippocampal and cortical neural hyperexcitability and cognitive deficits. Second, senescent astrocytes accumulate in the brain with age and exhibit a decreased functional capacity and the secretion of senescent-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors, which contribute to neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. Both BBBD and senescence progressively increase during aging and are associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative disease, but the relationship between the two has not yet been established. Thus, we discuss the potential relationship between BBBD, TGFβ hyperactivation, and senescence with respect to astrocytes in the context of aging and disease and identify future areas of investigation in the field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:14:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ccbb8d73868d4ddc9a8cf5450cfc419e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:14:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ccbb8d73868d4ddc9a8cf5450cfc419e2023-11-23T14:11:40ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-06-012311621710.3390/ijms23116217Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in AgingMarcela K. Preininger0Daniela Kaufer1Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USADepartment of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USAAs the most abundant cell types in the brain, astrocytes form a tissue-wide signaling network that is responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and regulating various brain activities. Here, we review some of the essential functions that astrocytes perform in supporting neurons, modulating the immune response, and regulating and maintaining the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Given their importance in brain health, it follows that astrocyte dysfunction has detrimental effects. Indeed, dysfunctional astrocytes are implicated in age-related neuropathology and participate in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we review two mechanisms by which astrocytes mediate neuropathology in the aging brain. First, age-associated blood–brain barrier dysfunction (BBBD) causes the hyperactivation of TGFβ signaling in astrocytes, which elicits a pro-inflammatory and epileptogenic phenotype. Over time, BBBD-associated astrocyte dysfunction results in hippocampal and cortical neural hyperexcitability and cognitive deficits. Second, senescent astrocytes accumulate in the brain with age and exhibit a decreased functional capacity and the secretion of senescent-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors, which contribute to neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. Both BBBD and senescence progressively increase during aging and are associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative disease, but the relationship between the two has not yet been established. Thus, we discuss the potential relationship between BBBD, TGFβ hyperactivation, and senescence with respect to astrocytes in the context of aging and disease and identify future areas of investigation in the field.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/11/6217astrocytessenescenceblood–brain barrierTGF beta 1albuminneuroinflammation |
| spellingShingle | Marcela K. Preininger Daniela Kaufer Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging International Journal of Molecular Sciences astrocytes senescence blood–brain barrier TGF beta 1 albumin neuroinflammation |
| title | Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging |
| title_full | Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging |
| title_fullStr | Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging |
| title_short | Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging |
| title_sort | blood brain barrier dysfunction and astrocyte senescence as reciprocal drivers of neuropathology in aging |
| topic | astrocytes senescence blood–brain barrier TGF beta 1 albumin neuroinflammation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/11/6217 |
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