A novel human induced pluripotent stem cell blood-brain barrier model: Applicability to study antibody-triggered receptor-mediated transcytosis

Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 30;8(1):1873. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19522-8.

Abstract

We have developed a renewable, scalable and transgene free human blood-brain barrier model, composed of brain endothelial cells (BECs), generated from human amniotic fluid derived induced pluripotent stem cells (AF-iPSC), which can also give rise to syngeneic neural cells of the neurovascular unit. These AF-iPSC-derived BECs (i-BEC) exhibited high transendothelial electrical resistance (up to 1500 Ω cm2) inducible by astrocyte-derived molecular cues and retinoic acid treatment, polarized expression of functional efflux transporters and receptor mediated transcytosis triggered by antibodies against specific receptors. In vitro human BBB models enable pre-clinical screening of central nervous system (CNS)-targeting drugs and are of particular importance for assessing species-specific/selective transport mechanisms. This i-BEC human BBB model discriminates species-selective antibody- mediated transcytosis mechanisms, is predictive of in vivo CNS exposure of rodent cross-reactive antibodies and can be implemented into pre-clinical CNS drug discovery and development processes.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / pharmacology*
  • Astrocytes / cytology
  • Astrocytes / physiology
  • Biological Transport
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / physiology
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / physiology
  • Male
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism*
  • Transcytosis / physiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Receptors, Cell Surface