Folate nutrition and blood–brain barrier dysfunction

Abstract

Mammals require essential nutrients from dietary sources to support normal metabolic, physiological and neuronal functions, to prevent diseases of nutritional deficiency as well as to prevent chronic disease. Disease and/or its treatment can modify fundamental biological processes including cellular nutrient accretion, stability and function in cells. These effects can be isolated to a specific diseased organ in the absence of whole-body alterations in nutrient status or biochemistry. Loss of blood-brain barrier function, which occurs in in-born errors of metabolism and in chronic disease, can cause brain-specific folate deficiency and contribute to disease co-morbidity. The role of brain folate deficiency in neuropsychiatric disorders is reviewed, as well as emerging diagnostic and nutritional strategies to identify and address brain folate deficiency in blood-brain barrier dysfunction.

Astronaut ophthalmic syndrome

“…Tissue‐specific disruptions in 1‐carbon metabolism will have only a minor impact on serum or blood biomarkers, whereas the affected tissue can have severe disruptions (22). The brain is one such place where a tissue‐specific disruption can occur.…”

“…The blood–brain barrier (BBB) provides a functional barrier that allows the transport of nutrients from the CSF into the brain interstitial space (23). When the BBB is compromised, such as in cases of chronic inflammation, hypoxia, hypertension, or viral infection, nutrient transport can be insufficient and can lead to localized cerebral nutrient deficiencies [reviewed previously (22)]. Folate is an example of a B vitamin that is concentrated in the CSF as it is transported across the BBB, and a disruption of the BBB can lead to localized cerebral folate deficiency without whole‐body folate deficiency (24).…”

“…Riboflavin supplementation has been shown to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients with the minor form of the MTHFR 677 polymorphism (TT), and may play a role in preventing endothelial dysfunction (97, 98). Attention to details, including the dose and form of vitamins, would need to be considered because folic acid can inhibit 5‐MTHF transport across the BBB and potentially exacerbate a cerebral folate deficiency (22, 99, 100); therefore, use of reduced folate (5‐MTHF or THF) should be considered. Although the temptation to provide antioxidants is often an immediate reaction, providing the precursors to mitigate these effects in the first place seems a more likely solution than trying to provide the downstream intermediates.…”

Post-ruminal effects of rumen-protected methionine supplementation with low protein diet using long-term simulation and in vitro digestibility technique

“…Mammals are depending on macro and micronutrients for the regulation of physiological functions, health, production, and the prevention of diseases (Abbasi et al 2014 ; Stover et al 2017 ). Amino acids are natural compounds in many of the aforementioned biological courses (He et al 2011 ).…”

Relevância Translacional De Indicadores Do Metabolismo De Grupamentos Metila Em Glioma

“…As propriedades agonistas da homocisteína nos receptores GABA e NMDA das células endoteliais contribui para aumentar a permeabilidade vascular cerebral e alterar a integridade da BHE (Škovierová et al, 2016;Wishart, 2019). É importante ressaltar que a integridade da BHE é fator crucial para garantir os níveis adequados de folato no cérebro, que precisam ser superiores em relação ao plasma, de forma a garantir as demandas metabólicas do microambiente cerebral, uma vez que o metabolismo de grupamentos metila também desempenha papel fundamental na síntese e degradação de neurotransmissores (Stover et al, 2017). (Hoffman, 2015;Palanichamy et al, 2016).…”