Figure 5.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), but not glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA), abrogates paracellular permeability impairment to sodium fluorescein (SF) in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC). A cell line of HBMEC was incubated without (control) or with 100 μM UCB, in the presence of 100 μM human serum albumin, for 48 h. The bile acids (50 μM) were added prior to (1 h) or after (4 or 8 h) UCB addition. Quantification of permeability to SF is expressed as fold change from control values and results are shown as mean ± SEM from at least three independent experiments. ^***P < 0.001 vs. control; ^§P < 0.05 and ^§§P < 0.01 vs. UCB alone; ^#P < 0.05 UDCA vs. GUDCA.