Figure 1.

Effect of pre-incubating CoQ₁₀ in serum, on transport across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in vitro models. (a) CoQ₁₀ transport across porcine brain endothelial cells (PBEC) monolayer is increased by pre-incubation of CoQ₁₀ in serum. CoQ₁₀ was either pre-incubated for 45 min in serum, or added directly to apical assay buffer (no serum), and appearance in the basal buffer measured after 30, 60 or 120 min; n = 4–7. (b) Schematic of transport assays using BBB cells grown on Transwell filters. CoQ₁₀ and FITC-40 can be added to the apical compartment to measure transport from blood-to-brain, (apical to basal), or to the basal compartment to measure brain-to-blood transport (basal to apical). CoQ₁₀ Papp across PBEC (c) and bEnd.3 (d) monolayers after 60 min. Transport in both directions, blood-to-brain side (A to B) and brain-to-blood side (B to A) was increased after pre-incubation of CoQ₁₀ in serum; n = 4–10. (e) FITC-40 Papp across b.End3 monolayer over 60 min. Pre-incubation of FITC-40 in serum did not change transport in either direction; n = 6–12. Values are mean ± SEM; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.