# Mechanisms of Shear Induction of Blood-Brain Barrier Phenotypes in Human iPSC-derived Brain Endothelial Progenitors

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $330,992

## Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents a physical, transport, and metabolic barrier between the bloodstream
and the brain and its function is crucial to maintain brain homeostasis. BBB dysfunction is a hallmark of many
neurological diseases and disorders. Moreover, the BBB prevents treatment of central nervous system diseases
by limiting brain uptake of small molecule and protein-based pharmaceuticals. In vitro models of the BBB provide
tools to understand BBB structure and function during development and disease and facilitate discovery of
strategies to delivery pharmaceuticals to the brain. Established in vitro BBB models often lack key physiologic
phenotypes of the in vivo BBB, however, limiting their utility. Previously, we described a defined method for
directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to brain microvascular endothelial cells
(BMECs) that comprise the BBB. These iPSC-BMECs express BBB-specific markers and exhibit barrier and
transporter properties similar to those in the BBB in vivo, albeit at reduced levels. Our preliminary data
demonstrate that application of shear flow to iPSC-BMEC progenitors induces BBB phenotypes in a p21 and
TGFβ signaling pathway dependent manner. These data motivate our central hypothesis: Shear stress
enhances development and maintenance of BBB barrier and transporter phenotypes in iPSC-BMEC
progenitors via p21 and TGFβ signaling. To test this hypothesis, we will apply shear flow to iPSCs
differentiating to BMECs at different stages of development and quantify effects of shear stress on BBB barrier
and transporter phenotypes in the resulting BMECs. We will employ genetic and biochemical inhibitors to
elucidate the roles of p21 and TGFβ pathway induction of BBB phenotypes. Based on these fundamental studies,
we will construct isogenic, neurovascular unit (NVU) models comprised of shear-conditioned iPSC-
derived BMECs, neurons, astrocytes and pericytes that will enable a better understanding of human BBB
development and disease and facilitate neurotherapeutic development. Our specific aims are:
 1. Quantify the effects of shear stress applied to iPSC-BMEC progenitors on induction of BBB phenotypes.
 We will assess the developmental stages at which shear induces barrier and transporter phenotypes in
 differentiating iPSC-BMECs.
2. Elucidate the roles of p21 and TGFβ signaling in shear-mediated induction of BBB phenotypes in iPSC-
BMEC progenitors. We will employ chemical and genetic inhibition of p21 and TGFβ pathways to test the
 necessity of these pathways in shear induction of BBB phenotypes in iPSC-BMEC progenitors.
3. Evaluate shear-conditioned iPSC-BMECs in contact and noncontact isogenic neurovascular unit models.
We will construct NVU models consisting of iPSC-BMECs differentiated in the presence of shear, and
iPSC-derived neurons, astrocytes, and pericytes, to test the hypothesis that shear application to iPSC-
BMEC progenitors will yield a high-fidelty NVU model with...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10098348
- **Project number:** 5R01NS107461-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Sean P Palecek
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $330,992
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-02-15 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10098348

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10098348, Mechanisms of Shear Induction of Blood-Brain Barrier Phenotypes in Human iPSC-derived Brain Endothelial Progenitors (5R01NS107461-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10098348. Licensed CC0.

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