Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe complication with brain vascular hyperpermeability. Claudin‐5 is the major component of tight junctions. To investigate the expression of claudin‐5 in CM, we established a murine experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) model and an in vitro model by treating murine brain endothelial cells (bEnd3) with plasma from ECM mice. Expression of claudin‐5 and the ETS transcription factor Erg was reduced in the brain endothelium of ECM mice. In bEnd3 cells exposed to ECM plasma, decreased expression of claudin‐5 and Erg, and increased permeability were observed. Silencing of Erg significantly reduced Cldn5 expression. ChIP assays indicated that Erg binds to the −813 ETS motif of the murine Cldn5 gene promoter, and the binding is decreased by treatment with ECM plasma.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.