LIN Seminar: “Fantastic voyage: Lymphocyte trafficking and signaling at the blood-CSF barrier in obesity” by Alexis Stranahan (Augusta University)
September 11, 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location
SELE 4289
Calendar
Download iCal FilePlease join us Sept. 11, 2025 at 4pm in SELE 4289 for a LIN Seminar featuring "Fantastic voyage: Lymphocyte trafficking and signaling at the blood-CSF barrier in obesity" by Alexis Stranahan (Augusta University)
Host: Kevin Boergens
Abstract: Interactions between the brain and peripheral tissues occur at the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers (BBB, BCSFB), where vascular mural cells and choroid plexus epithelial cells coordinate the entry and exit of solutes, cytokines, peptide hormones, and protein aggregates. Obesity disrupts signaling at both interfaces, leading to inadequate routing of oxygen and glucose to activated brain regions and differential exposure to extrinsic factors among cells of the brain parenchyma. In this talk, we consider inter-cellular signaling modalities that initiate and perpetuate neuroinflammation in obesity. We will address region-specific changes ("Where"), duration-dependent effects ("When"), and the cell types and signals involved ("Who" and "What"), with reference to persistent gaps in knowledge and the strengths/limitations of existing experimental models. To summarize and integrate these data, we propose a model in which molecular, anatomical, and functional characteristics of different brain regions determine susceptibility to obesity-induced neuroinflammation. This model, if upheld empirically, could identify accessible populations at the BBB/BCSFB for drug targeting. Moreover, elucidating the underlying principles governing inter-regional spread of neuroinflammation in obesity could uncover novel loci for noninvasive therapeutic modulation.
Date posted
Apr 18, 2025
Date updated
Aug 28, 2025