OHSU Innovates

Technology Overview
The current technology is an immortalized human brain capillary endothelial cell line named BB19.  BB19 cells are derived from human brain endothelium and are immortalized with E6E7 genes of human papilloma virus.  This cell line has been used to study cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in vitro. 

The cells partly maintain endothelial properties as shown by tubule formation with Matrigel^TM as substrate.  They express Factor VIII-related antigen and von Willebrand’s factor.  The cells exhibit cobblestone like morphology.  The cells express P-glycoprotein (P-gp), MRP4 and BCRP, typical ABC-transporters located in the blood-brain barrier.  MRP1, MRP2, MRP5, OAT3 and OAT4 have also been detected.  Functional properties of the cells have been shown with the uptake of propranolol, morphine and sucrose.  Uptake studies with daunomycin and the P-gp inhibitor verapamil have shown functional activity of P-gp.  This cell line can be used as a human in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier for drug uptake studies. 

Publication
J.G. Prudhomme et al. “Studies of Plasmodium falciparum cytoadherence using immortalized human brain capillary endothelial cells.” Int. J. Parasitol. 26 (1996) 647-655. Link

Licensing Opportunity
This technology is available for non-exclusive licensing.