Abstract
Pericytes are functional components of the neurovascular unit (NVU) that are located around the blood vessels, and their roles in the regulation of cerebral health and diseases has been reported. Currently, the potential properties of pericytes as emerging therapeutic targets for cerebrovascular diseases have attracted considerable attention. Nonetheless, few reviews have comprehensively discussed pericytes and their roles in cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, in this review, we not only summarized and described the basic characteristics of pericytes but also focused on clarifying the new understanding about the roles of pericytes in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular diseases, including white matter injury (WMI), hypoxic–ischemic brain damage, depression, neovascular insufficiency disease, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Furthermore, we summarized the current therapeutic strategies targeting pericytes for cerebrovascular diseases. Collectively, this review is aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of pericytes and new insights about the use of pericytes as novel therapeutic targets for cerebrovascular diseases.
Highlights
Pericytes are among the major components of vascular composition
To provide a comprehensive understanding of pericytes, in this review, we summarized the biological characteristics of pericytes in detail, including their research history, distribution, isolation and culture methods, identification strategies, and biological functions
Cortical pericytes can rapidly respond under brain hypoxic conditions or during brain trauma, wherein approximately 40% of pericytes migrate to the perivascular site, which may be mediated by urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptors expressed by pericytes, and exacerbate blood–brain barrier (BBB) damage and increase BBB permeability, leading to cerebral edema (Figure 2; Castejon, 2011)
Summary
Pericytes are among the major components of vascular composition They are located along the capillary walls at intervals and possess numerous biological functions and characteristics. Under ischemic conditions, pericytes constrict the capillaries in rigidity and hinder the flow of blood cells, which eventually prevents microcirculatory reperfusion even if the plaque has been removed in Abbreviations: α-SMA, alpha smooth muscle actin; AD, Alzheimer’s disease; BBB, blood–brain barrier; CNS, central nervous system; ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1; IL-6, interleukin 6; MMP3, matrix metallopeptidase 3; MMP9, matrix metallopeptidase 9; NG2, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan; NVU, neurovascular unit; PAR1, protease-activated receptor-1; PAR4, protease-activated receptor-4; PDGFR-α, β, platelet-derived growth factor α, β receptors; RGS5, regulators of G protein signaling 5; TGF-β, transforming growth factor; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor α; WMI, brain white matter injury
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