Emergence of the brain-border immune niches and their contribution to the development of neurodegenerative diseases.
Emergence of the brain-border immune niches and their contribution to the development of neurodegenerative diseases.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Singapore, SG · Author affiliation
Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.Location evidence
Manchester, GB · Author affiliation
Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.Location evidence
KR · Author affiliation · country only
Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.Location evidence
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Original abstract
Historically, the central nervous system (CNS) was regarded as 'immune-privileged', possessing its own distinct immune cell population. This immune privilege was thought to be established by a tight blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal-fluid barrier (BCSFB), which prevented the crossing of peripheral immune cells and their secreted factors into the CNS parenchyma. However, recent studies have revealed the presence of peripheral immune cells in proximity to various brain-border niches such as the choroid plexus, cranial bone marrow (CBM), meninges, and perivascular spaces. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that peripheral immune cells may be able to infiltrate the brain through these sites and play significant roles in driving neuronal cell death and pathology progression in neurodegenerative disease. Thus, in this review, we explore how the brain-border immune niches may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). We then discuss several emerging options for harnessing the neuroimmune potential of these niches to improve the prognosis and treatment of these debilitative disorders using novel insights from recent studies.