Function of Connexins in the Interaction between Glial and Vascular Cells in the Central Nervous System and Related Neurological Diseases

Neural Plast. 2018 Jun 10:2018:6323901. doi: 10.1155/2018/6323901. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Neuronal signaling together with synapse activity in the central nervous system requires a precisely regulated microenvironment. Recently, the blood-brain barrier is considered as a "neuro-glia-vascular unit," a structural and functional compound composed of capillary endothelial cells, glial cells, pericytes, and neurons, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of the microenvironment in and out of the brain. Tight junctions and adherens junctions, which function as barriers of the blood-brain barrier, are two well-known kinds in the endothelial cell junctions. In this review, we focus on the less-concerned contribution of gap junction proteins, connexins in blood-brain barrier integrity under physio-/pathology conditions. In the neuro-glia-vascular unit, connexins are expressed in the capillary endothelial cells and prominent in astrocyte endfeet around and associated with maturation and function of the blood-brain barrier through a unique signaling pathway and an interaction with tight junction proteins. Connexin hemichannels and connexin gap junction channels contribute to the physiological or pathological progress of the blood-brain barrier; in addition, the interaction with other cell-cell-adhesive proteins is also associated with the maintenance of the blood-brain barrier. Lastly, we explore the connexins and connexin channels involved in the blood-brain barrier in neurological diseases and any programme for drug discovery or delivery to target or avoid the blood-brain barrier.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain Diseases / metabolism*
  • Connexins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Neuroglia / metabolism*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Connexins