Brainpeps: the blood-brain barrier peptide database

Brain Struct Funct. 2012 Jul;217(3):687-718. doi: 10.1007/s00429-011-0375-0. Epub 2011 Dec 29.

Abstract

Peptides are able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) through various mechanisms, opening new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues. However, their BBB transport data are scattered in the literature over different disciplines, using different methodologies reporting different influx or efflux aspects. Therefore, a comprehensive BBB peptide database (Brainpeps) was constructed to collect the BBB data available in the literature. Brainpeps currently contains BBB transport information with positive as well as negative results. The database is a useful tool to prioritize peptide choices for evaluating different BBB responses or studying quantitative structure-property (BBB behaviour) relationships of peptides. Because a multitude of methods have been used to assess the BBB behaviour of compounds, we classified these methods and their responses. Moreover, the relationships between the different BBB transport methods have been clarified and visualized.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport / physiology
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Databases, Protein*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological*
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Permeability*
  • Species Specificity
  • Surface Properties*

Substances

  • Peptides