I still remember a line from Miles, the uptight boss on Murphy Brown. He said, with that usual worried frown on his face, "Everything starts in the colon."

paula

From http://www.vrp.com/art/583.asp?c=117...p.css&p=no&s=0

The other known benefit to the brain that proanthocyanidins offer derives from proanthocyanidins ability to protect collagen structures.1 Collagen and elastin are the proteins that serve as cement to hold together the cells that make up blood vessel walls. Proanthocyanidins inhibit enzymes such as hyaluronidase, collagenase and elastase that can break down the collagen structure of blood vessel walls.1 This fact is especially important for brain health, due to the blood-brain barrier.

Capillaries (the tiniest blood vessels that feed individual cells) in the brain are different from capillaries elsewhere in the body. All non-brain capillaries possess slit pores - openings between the patchwork quilt-like mosaic of cells which form blood vessel walls. These slit pores allow nutrient molecules to diffuse from the capillary blood into the fluid which bathes all cells, and thence into the cells themselves. Brain capillaries lack this feature, however. All the cells making up the brain capillary walls are tightly stitched together through their supporting collagen-elastin ground substance cement.2

Nutrient molecules can only pass from the capillary blood to the surrounding brain cells with the help of ATP energy-driven carrier molecules.2 These act like ferry boats to
take nutrients from the blood side of the capillary cell wall, through the capillary lining cell, to the outside of the capillary cell wall, where the nutrient molecules are then picked up by special non-neuronal brain cells called glial cells, which then pass the nutrients to the neurons (the electrically active brain cells) for their use. This blood-brain barrier provides a special degree of protection from toxins, as well as blood level fluctuations of nutrients that might disregulate key brain processes.2 This is especially important for neurons. While all other cell types create their own replacements our whole life long - e.g. new skin cells and intestinal lining cells every 3-5 days, new red blood cells every 4 months, even new bone cells over several years - our bodies create no new neurons after age two. Thus, brain cells are literally irreplaceable. Even if we live to be 100, we will still have the exact same original neurons we had at age two, minus those that died off along the way. Parkinsons disease occurs when 70-80% of a small group of dopamine-using neurons have died off in a brain region called the substantia migra. Thus, anything that safely and effectively preserves and protects the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, also preserves and protects the life, health and function of our precious, irreplaceable neurons.

Grape seed extract proanthocyanidins can protect the collagen-elastin cement that holds the brain capillary cells together, with no leaky holes from the damaging action of both free radicals and collagen-elastin dissolving enzymes that leak out from damaged or dying cells. Thus, proanthocyanidins are powerful protectors of blood-brain barrier integrity. The seamless, holeless integrity of the blood-brain barrier is the basis for the integrity of our brain structure and function. Autopsy studies have shown that various forms of brain disease and damage can literally create tiny holes in the blood-brain barrier .2 This allows toxins (such as neurotoxic pesticide residues on our food) and excesses of certain nutrients (such as sodium) to leak into brain cells, with results ranging from mild disruption of function (as in ADD) to neuronal death.

Proanthocyanidins are extremely safe, natural compounds found in many foods - although at levels too low to provide major benefit. Grape Seed Extract and Pine Bark Extract are the two main commercial sources of concentrated proanthocyanidins A proanthocyanidin called B2-3-O-gallate is present only in Grape Seed Extract, not in pine bark, and is the most powerful specificproanthocyanidin yet discovered.1 Grape Seed Extract is also significantly less expensive and so is arguably the best proanthocyanidin source. An economy level dose of proanthocyanidins is 30-50 mg per day, while 100 mg is a more truly therapeutic dosage. In Europe, where grape seed extract proanthocyanidins have been used clinically and studied for over 20 years, doses from 100 to 400 mg per day are routinely used. Proanthocyanidins are virtually non-toxic at any affordable dose, with grape allergy being the one possible cause for caution.1 JS

Links
Alcohol-induced oxidative stress in brain endothelial cells causes blood-brain barrier dysfunction.

* Haorah J,
* Knipe B,
* Leibhart J,
* Ghorpade A,
* Persidsky Y.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5215, USA.

Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC) connected by tight junctions (TJ) form a tight monolayer at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We investigated the idea that BBB dysfunction seen in alcohol abuse is associated with oxidative stress stemming from ethanol (EtOH) metabolism in BMVEC. Exposure to EtOH induced catalytic activity/expression of EtOH-metabolizing enzymes, which paralleled enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). EtOH-mediated oxidative stress led to activation of myosin light chain (MLC) kinase, phosphorylation of MLC and TJ proteins, decreased BBB integrity, and enhanced monocyte migration across BBB. Acetaldehyde or ROS donors mimicked changes induced by EtOH in BMVEC. Thus, oxidative stress resulting from alcohol metabolism in BMVEC can lead to BBB breakdown in alcohol abuse, serving as an aggravating factor in neuroinflammatory disorders.

PMID: 16204625 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

1: J Pineal Res. 2006 Apr;40(3):242-50.

Melatonin attenuates the postischemic increase in blood-brain barrier
permeability and decreases hemorrhagic transformation of tissue-plasminogen
activator therapy following ischemic stroke in mice.

Chen TY, Lee MY, Chen HY, Kuo YL, Lin SC, Wu TS, Lee EJ.

*

1: J Neurosurg Anesthesiol. 2003 Apr;15(2):119-25.

Effects of magnesium administration on brain edema and blood-brain barrier
breakdown after experimental traumatic brain injury in rats.

Esen F, Erdem T, Aktan D, Kalayci R, Cakar N, Kaya M, Telci L.

*

1: Life Sci. 2003 Nov 7;73(25):3235-44.

Effect of losartan on the blood-brain barrier permeability in diabetic
hypertensive rats.

Kaya M, Kalayci R, Kucuk M, Arican N, Elmas I, Kudat H, Korkut F.

*

From a person with MS, very interesting thread! I found it because I was searching to see if there were any threads about Collagenase-2. Although this is specifically about MS, some of you might find this interesting:

http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnite...?name=32831521

The implication of a weak BBB in so many diseases is very interesting.

(dated article, though remains pertinent)

Potential Role of Cerebral Glutathione in the Maintenance of Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity in Rat
Journal Neurochemical Research
Publisher Springer Netherlands
ISSN 0364-3190 (Print) 1573-6903 (Online)
Issue Volume 24, Number 12 / December, 1999
DOI 10.1023/A:1021191729865
Pages 1507-1514


(1) Predictive Toxicology Research Group, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow-, 226 001, India
(2) Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405


Abstract Using the model of glutathione (GSH) depletion, possible role of GSH in the maintenance of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity was evaluated in rats. Administration (ip) of GSH depletors, diethyl maleate (DEM, 1–4 mmol/kg), phorone (2–3 mmol/kg) and 2-cyclohexene-1-one (CHX, 1 mmol/kg), to male adults was found to deplete brain and liver GSH and increase the BBB permeability to micromolecular tracers (sodium fluorescein and [14C]sucrose) in a dose-dependent manner at 2h. However, BBB permeability to macromolecular tracers such as horseradish peroxidase and Evan''s blue remained unaltered. It was also shown that observed BBB permeability dysfunction was associated with brain GSH depletion. A lower magnitude of BBB increase in rat neonates, as compared to adults, indicated a possible bigger role of GSH in the BBB function of mature brain. The treatment with N-acetylcysteine, methionine and GSH provided a partial to full protection against DEM-induced brain (microvessel) GSH depletion and BBB dysfunction; however, the treatment with -tocopherol, ascorbic acid and turmeric were not effective. Our studies showed that cerebral GSH plays an important role in maintaining the functional BBB integrity.

Bearygood,
Sorry, I could not get the article from your link, only the title. The rest was blank.
Ron

Hi everyone

I emailed John here and asked for a sub-forum and he has replied that this is a year old posting and he has not seen much about BBB in particylar on this site. He is not aware of all of the postings that have been put out in our previous life.

So if you make a posting dedicated to this subject and it becomes and keeps to the topic he will consider putting in a sub-forum.

I see information all over the place and brought together it could be done, up to you.

This won't be seen for a day or so as I am edited now due to remarks I have made in the past.

Thanks all

Hello Ron--here is the article:
Mar 28 2008, 12:47 PM EST

Potential new target for multiple sclerosis therapy


Contact: Nick Zagorski
nzagorski@asbmb.org
301-634-7366
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Researchers demonstrate both genetic and pharmaceutical evidence for the role of a protein called collagenase-2 in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), providing a potential new way to combat this debilitating disease.

Collagenase-2 is a member of a protein family called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs, collagenase-2 is MMP8), a large group of enzymes that break down collagen and other components of the body's connective tissue. MMPs have been implicated in contributing to MS by degrading the tissue that maintains the blood-brain barrier, thus allowing unwanted cells to invade and break down nerves. In fact, MMPs are found in elevated amounts in the blood and spinal fluid of diseased individuals.

Using a mouse model of MS, Carlos Lopez-Otin and colleagues performed two analyses on MMP8 to determine how relevant this protein is to the disease. First, they developed mutant mice deficient in the gene for MMP8 and found that these mice had a fewer invading cells in the brain, fewer damaged nerves, and a general improvement in their clinical profile.

They also gave diseased mice a drug that blocked MMP8 activity and found that this, too, could reduce the severity of disease symptoms. Taken together, these promising findings provide the first causal evidence for MMP8 in the development of MS, and offer a new therapeutic target.


###
This story appears in JBC online on March 28.

Corresponding Author: Carlos Lopez-Otin, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain; Phone: 34-985-104201, E-mail: clo@uniovi.es

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Why Angstrom Minerals?

Angstrom-sized mineral supplementation may dramatically increase the strength of the immune system, the endocrine system, the digestive system, the skin, and increase alertness, and the ability to focus.

Angstrom-sized minerals are 1,000,000 times smaller than colloidal minerals. Research done by the US military and the National Institute of Health (NIH) on angstrom-sized minerals began as far back as the 1950's, however this research was not made available to the public until now. US Government agencies have made efforts to keep this information away from public knowledge and access.

Angstrom-sized minerals are an enormous advancement in mineral technology. They represent a quantum leap in nutrition. Unlike bulky, difficult to absorb, colloidal minerals or mineral compounds (calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, copper glutinate, chromium picolinate, zinc picolinate, potassium sorbate, etc.) all of which clog up the system, angstrom-sized minerals are small enough so that they are nearly 100% assimilated by the human body. Angstrom-sized minerals are found in plants and are now available in angstrom-sized mineral supplements with distilled water.

Complete mineralization of all body tissues and organs is necessary for achieving optimal physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation. Because they are bound to hydrogen molecules, angstrom minerals are capable crossing the blood brain barrier and increasing neurotransmission and brain power.

http://dw.successultranow.com/Articl...5/Default.aspx