The immune and metabolic milieu of the choroid plexus as a potential target in brain protection
Afroditi Tsitsou-Kampeli, Stefano Suzzi, Michal Schwartz
Abstract
The brain’s choroid plexus (CP), which operates as an anatomical and functional ‘checkpoint’, regulates the communication between brain and periphery and contributes to the maintenance of healthy brain homeostasis throughout life. Evidence from mouse models and humans reveals a link between loss of CP checkpoint properties and dysregulation of the CP immune milieu as a conserved feature across diverse neurological conditions. In particular, we suggest that an imbalance between different immune signals at the CP, including CD4+ T cell-derived cytokines, type-I interferon, and complement components, can perpetuate brain inflammation and cognitive deterioration in aging and neurodegeneration. Furthermore, we highlight the role of CP metabolism in controlling CP inflammation, and propose that targeting molecules that regulate CP metabolism could be effective in safeguarding brain function.