title: Brain Pericytes As Mediators of Neuroinflammation.
abstract: Brain pericytes are perivascular cells that regulate capillary function, and this localization puts them in a pivotal position for the regulation of central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory responses at the neurovascular unit. Neuroinflammation, driven by microglia and astrocytes or resulting from peripheral leukocyte infiltration, has both homeostatic and detrimental consequences for brain function and is present in nearly every neurological disorder. More recently, brain pericytes have been shown to have many properties of immune regulating cells, including responding to and expressing a plethora of inflammatory molecules, presenting antigen, and displaying phagocytic ability. In this review we highlight the emerging role of pericytes in neuroinflammation and discuss pericyte-mediated neuroinflammation as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of a range of devastating brain disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rustenhoven
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Deidre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Leon C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: m.dragunow@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dragunow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D020286:Pericytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: blood–brain barrier; drug therapy; neurodegeneration