Aberrant oligodendroglial-vascular interactions disrupt the blood brain barrier triggering CNS inflammation

Disruption of the blood brain barrier(BBB)is critical to initiation and perpetuation of disease in multiple sclerosis(MS).We report here an interaction between oligodendroglia and vasculature in MS that distinguishes human white matter injury from normal rodent demyelinating injury.We find perivascular clustering of oligodendrocyte precursor cells(OPCs)in certain active MS lesions,representing an inability to properly detach from vessels following perivascular migration.Perivascular OPCs can themselves disrupt the BBB,interfering with astrocyte end feet and endothelial tight junction integrity,resulting in altered vascular permeability and an associated CNS inflammation.