Heparan Sulfate Modulation Affects Breast Cancer Cell Adhesion and Transmigration across In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier.

The disruption of endothelial heparan sulfate (HS) is an early event in tumor cell metastasis across vascular barriers, and the reinforcement of endothelial HS reduces tumor cell adhesion to endothelium. Our recent study showed that while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) greatly reduces HS at an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) formed by human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (hCMECs), it significantly enhances HS on a breast cancer cell, MDA-MB-231 (MB231). Here, we tested that this differential effect of VEGF on the HS favors MB231 adhesion and transmigration.

Inhibition of Abl Kinase by Imatinib Can Rescue the Compromised Barrier Function of 22q11.2DS Patient-iPSC-Derived Blood-Brain Barriers.

We have previously established that the integrity of the induced blood-brain barrier (iBBB) formed by brain microvascular endothelial cells derived from the iPSC of 22q11.2 DS (22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, also called DiGeorge Syndrome) patients is compromised.