Table 1.

Humoral agents reported to increase blood-brain barrier permeability. Those asterisked have been shown to be released by astrocytic glia

Bradykinin, serotonin (5HT), histamine, thrombin

Purine and pyrimidine nucleotides: ATP*, UTP, ADP, AMP

Endothelin-1 (ET-1)*

Substance P

Glutamate*, Quinolenic acid

Platelet activating factor (PAF)

Arachidonic acid, prostaglandins, leukotrienes

Cytokines: IL-1α, IL-1β*, IL-2, IL-6*, TNFα*

Macrophage inflammatory proteins: MIP-1, MIP-2*

Complement-derived polypeptide C3a-desArg

Nitric oxide*, free radicals

References: Abbott (1998, 2000); Annunziata et al. (1998); Banks (1999); Cao et al. (2001); Chen et al. (2000); Kustova et al. (1999); Makic et al. (1999); Matsuo et al. (2001); Narushima et al. (1999); Pan et al. (2001); Prat et al. (2000); Schulz et al. (2000); St'astny et al. (2000)