Rapid transport within cerebral perivascular spaces underlies widespread tracer distribution in the brain after intranasal administration

Jeffrey J. Lochhead, Daniel J. Wolak, Michelle E. Pizzo, Robert G. Thorne

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

195 Scopus citations

Abstract

The intranasal administration route is increasingly being used as a noninvasive method to bypass the blood-brain barrier because evidence suggests small fractions of nasally applied macromolecules may reach the brain directly via olfactory and trigeminal nerve components present in the nasal mucosa. Upon reaching the olfactory bulb (olfactory pathway) or brainstem (trigeminal pathway), intranasally delivered macromolecules appear to rapidly distribute within the brains of rodents and primates. The mechanisms responsible for this distribution have yet to be fully characterized. Here, we have used ex vivo fluorescence imaging to show that bulk flow within the perivascular space (PVS) of cerebral blood vessels contributes to the rapid central distribution of fluorescently labeled 3 and 10 kDa dextran tracers after intranasal administration in anesthetized adult rats. Comparison of tracer plasma levels and fluorescent signal distribution associated with the PVS of surface arteries and internal cerebral vessels showed that the intranasal route results in unique central access to the PVS not observed after matched intravascular dosing in separate animals. Intranasal targeting to the PVS was tracer size dependent and could be regulated by modifying nasal epithelial permeability. These results suggest cerebral perivascular convection likely has a key role in intranasal drug delivery to the brain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)371-381
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Perinatology
Volume35
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • bloodbrain barrier
  • integrative optical imaging
  • matrix metalloproteinase-9
  • pharmacokinetics
  • pial vessels

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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