Blood-brain barrier permeability during Cuprizone-induced demyelination. Implications for the pathogenesis of immune-mediated demyelinating diseases.

Blood vessels in the superior cerebellar peduncles were studied in Cuprizone-fed mice for leakage of proteins into the parenchyma. The status of the blood-brain barrier was determined at various stages of demyelination both by tracer methods using horseradish peroxidase and immunochemically using antisera to extravasated serum proteins and was compared to three positive and negative control conditions. The results showed no evidence of significant protein leakage into the subendothelial basement membrane or extravascular space in Cuprizone mice, during the development of demyelination. The apparent lack of damage to the blood-brain barrier found in Cuprizone animals as compared to the blood-brain barrier alterations previously reported for immune-mediated demyelinating diseases, confirms the theory that these alterations are not a non-specific association of any demyelinating process, but are of primary pathogenetic importance in immune-mediated demyelination.