Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation is a reversible and frequency-dependent modulator of the blood-brain barrier.
Publication/Presentation Date
9-1-2019
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) is a vasoactive mediator of the anterior intracranial circulation in mammals. SPG stimulation has been demonstrated to alter blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, although this phenomenon is not well characterized.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of SPG stimulation on the BBB using rat models.
METHODS: Extravasation of fluorescent tracer 70 kDa FITC-dextran into rat brain specimens was measured across a range of stimulation parameters to assess BBB permeability. Tight junction (TJ) morphology was compared by assessing differences in the staining of proteins occludin and ZO-1 and analyzing ultrastructural changes on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) between stimulated and unstimulated specimens.
RESULTS: SPG stimulation at 10 Hz maximally increased BBB permeability, exhibiting a 6-fold increase in fluorescent traceruptake (1.66% vs 0.28%, p < 0.0001). This effect was reversed 4-hours after stimulation (0.36% uptake, p = 0.99). High-frequency stimulation at 20 Hz and 200 Hz did not increase tracer extravasation, (0.26% and 0.28% uptake, p = >0.999 and p = 0.998, respectively). Stimulation was associated a significant decrease in the colocalization of occludin and ZO-1 with endothelial markers in stimulated brains compared to control (74.6% vs. 39.7% and 67.2% vs. 60.4% colocalization, respectively, p < 0.0001), and ultrastructural changes in TJ morphology associated with increased BBB permeability were observed on TEM.
CONCLUSION: This study is the first to show a reversible, frequency-dependent increase in BBB permeability with SPG stimulation and introduces a putative mechanism of action through TJ disruption. Bypassing the BBB with SPG stimulation could enable new paradigms in delivering therapeutics to the CNS. Further study of this technology is needed.
Volume
1718
First Page
231
Last Page
241
ISSN
1872-6240
Published In/Presented At
Schmidt, R. F., Theofanis, T. N., Lang, M. J., Stricsek, G. P., Lin, R., Lebrun, A., Hooper, D. C., Rosenwasser, R. H., Sharan, A. D., & Iacovitti, L. (2019). Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation is a reversible and frequency-dependent modulator of the blood-brain barrier. Brain research, 1718, 231–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2019.04.030
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
31034813
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article