Home › Research › Brain tissue and pathology
Brain capillary endothelial-like cells show altered barrier functionality and reduced transport of amyloid β in late-onset Alzheimer disease
Carla Hartmann, Undine Haferkamp, Antje Appelt‐Menzel, Janica Barenberg, Andreas Brachner, Toni Ehrhard, Julia Silvia Feldhaus, Anna Gerhartl et al.. Fluids and Barriers of the CNS, 2026-01-22
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Control and LOAD hiPSCs exhibited comparable efficiency in forming brain capillary endothelial-like cells (BCECs). Although transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) assessments indicated no significant differences in barrier tightness between LOAD and control BCECs, high-throughput multiplex qPCR analysis revealed subtle alterations in barrier integrity. This included changes in various barrier markers, such as mucins (MUC1, MUC20), aquaporins (AQP5, AQP10), junctional transcripts (CLDNs, TJP1, OCLN), and receptors (LRP1, INSR, LSR), which were confirmed in LOAD patients. High-content imaging and flow cytometry indicated reduced cadherin 5 (CDH5) levels in LOAD BCECs. Importantly, the results also highlighted a difference in the transport of Aβ-O across the BBB. This model demonstrates a LOAD-relevant phenotype with decreased Aβ transport and alterations in key transcripts and could thus serve for future translational studies to rescue pathogenic phenotypes.
Key findings
- Control and LOAD hiPSCs exhibited comparable efficiency in forming brain capillary endothelial-like cells (BCECs).
- Although transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) assessments indicated no significant differences in barrier tightness between LOAD and control BCECs, high-throughput multiplex qPCR analysis revealed subtle alterations in barrier integrity.
- This included changes in various barrier markers, such as mucins (MUC1, MUC20), aquaporins (AQP5, AQP10), junctional transcripts (CLDNs, TJP1, OCLN), and receptors (LRP1, INSR, LSR), which were confirmed in LOAD patients.
- High-content imaging and flow cytometry indicated reduced cadherin 5 (CDH5) levels in LOAD BCECs.
- Importantly, the results also highlighted a difference in the transport of Aβ-O across the BBB.
Why it matters
In cells grown from people with late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the blood-brain barrier showed subtle changes in barrier-related genes and reduced transport of amyloid beta, though barrier tightness itself was not significantly different. This is a laboratory model that may be useful for future studies aiming to correct these changes, not a treatment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Fluids and Barriers of the CNS) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Fluids and Barriers of the CNS: journal h-index 86 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Matthias Jung: h-index 8 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | McGill University: institution h-index 1,373 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 14 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41566484) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s12987-025-00753-7
- PubMed: 41566484
- Original source →
- Free full text: Fluids and Barriers of the CNS →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hartmann, C., Haferkamp, U., Appelt‐Menzel, A., Barenberg, J., Brachner, A., Ehrhard, T., et al. (2026). Brain capillary endothelial-like cells show altered barrier functionality and reduced transport of amyloid β in late-onset Alzheimer disease. Fluids and Barriers of the CNS. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12987-025-00753-7
Vancouver
Hartmann C, Haferkamp U, Appelt‐Menzel A, Barenberg J, Brachner A, Ehrhard T, et al. Brain capillary endothelial-like cells show altered barrier functionality and reduced transport of amyloid β in late-onset Alzheimer disease. Fluids and Barriers of the CNS. 2026. doi:10.1186/s12987-025-00753-7. PMID: 41566484.
BibTeX
@article{hartmann2026-41566484,
author = {Hartmann, Carla and Haferkamp, Undine and Appelt‐Menzel, Antje and Barenberg, Janica and Brachner, Andreas and Ehrhard, Toni and Feldhaus, Julia Silvia and Gerhartl, Anna and others},
title = {{Brain capillary endothelial-like cells show altered barrier functionality and reduced transport of amyloid β in late-onset Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Fluids and Barriers of the CNS},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1186/s12987-025-00753-7},
pmid = {41566484},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12987-025-00753-7}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.