The annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Blood Brain interface (SEISC) took place in Paris the 9th November 2018. All day long, recent studies adressing different BBB issues have been presented, including Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) development, molecular control, and several pathological aspects.

  • BBB development:

The meeting started by an interesting plenary lecture about the molecular control of neurovascular development, given by Isabelle Brunet (CIRB, College de France). Then two presentations of Collège de France team were about BBB development. First Alice Gilbert  presented the characterization of two postnatal proteins expression (MLC1 and GlailCAM) in astrocyte endfeet of the gliovascular unit, which are linked to the expression of two BBB proteins, Claudin-5 and P-gP. Then Anne Cécile Boulay presented progressive integration and maturation of astrocytes in the gliovascular unit during cortical development.

  • Control of the BBB:

Benjamin Le Gac (INSERM U1130) presented the molecular control of cerebral vasodilatation and vasoconstriction by prostanglandin produced by pyramidal neurons. These neurovascular responses are essential for brain function, and are impaired in Alzheimer’s disease. Then Noemie Mazaré (Collège de France, paris) presented her resultats about the presence of specific and local proteins in presynaptic process of astrocytes in the mouse hippocampus.

  • Pathological aspects:

Romain Versele (Université d’Artois, Lens) presented the benefic effects of ketogenic diet (KBs) on Alheimer’s disease, by means of an in vitro approach. This study showed that KBs treatment modifies properties of the BBB (tight junction and Aβ transporters) and leads to an increase in Aβ peptide efflux.

Pauline Hélie (GIP Cyceron, Caen) talked about Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA), a serine protease synthetised by endothelial cells, involved in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE – multiple sclerosis model). Her work has showed that t-PA promotes T cell activation and proliferation, and that endogenous t-PA has a deleterious effect in EAE models. Heloise Lebas (GIP Cyceron, Caen) has also talked about multiple sclerosis, by studying the impact of astrocytes dysfonction (overexpression of PAI-1) on fibrinolysis, that leads to fibrin deposits in the CNS and autoimmune response.

Then Candice Chapouly (Inserm U1034, pessac) adressed CNS inflammation through the presentation of Hedgehog signaling, a regulator of vessel integrity (notably in multiple sclerosis and HIV conditions). These studies showed that during inflammation astrocytic Dll4 secretion inhibits endothelial autocrine desert hedgehog, leading to BBB breakdown.

Nathalie Pardigon (Institut Pasteur, Paris) presented an interesting lecture about the neuroinvasiveness ability of two flaviviruses responsible of yellow fever and japanese encephalitis, compared to vaccine strains in an in vitro BBB model. They demonstrated that vaccine strains have a lower ability to cross the BBB than viral strain, which is consistent with their safe use as vaccines in human.

Finally Huilong Luo presented  a new therapeutic target. Actually he presented the protective role of cannabidiol on BBB at therapeutic concentrations, which involves transient receptor potentiel vanilloid channels (TRPV2), demonstrating that TRPV2 could be a target to enhance BBB protection or recovery.

Congratulations to the laureate of the price for the best oral communication, Candice Chapouly (Post-Doctorant, INSERM U1034, Pessac) and to the laureate of the price for the best poster, Marc Oudart (Doctorant, Collège de France, Paris).

Véronique De Conto attended this conference in the context of the development of neurological in vitro models including microenvironment for phenotypic screening of therapeutic molecules.

 Thanks to the SEIC for this interesting meeting!


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