Blood-brain barrier function, cell viability, and gene expression of tight junction-associated proteins in the mouse are disrupted by crude oil, benzo[a]pyrene, and the dispersant COREXIT.

Exposure to crude oil, its components, and oil dispersants during a major crude oil spill, such as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, can elicit behavioral changes in animals and humans. However, the underlying mechanisms by which oil spill-related compounds alters behavior remains largely unknown. A major cause of behavioral changes generally is dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We investigated the impact of a crude oil high energy water accommodated fraction (HEWAF), benzo[a] pyrene (BaP; a major component of crude oil), and the oil dispersant COREXIT, on BBB function. BBB function was assessed by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) of mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Within 3 h after treatment, TEER was significantly reduced by exposure to high concentrations of all test compounds. TEER remained reduced in response to COREXIT after 48 h, but this effect waned in BMECs treated with HEWAF and BaP, with low-mid range concentrations inducing increased TEER compared to vehicle controls. At 48 h of treatment, BMEC viability was significantly reduced in response to 2% HEWAF, but was increased in response to BaP (25 and 50 µM). BMEC viability was increased with 80 ppm COREXIT, but was reduced with 160 ppm. Gene expression of tight junction-associated proteins (claudin-5 and tight junction protein-1), and cell adhesion receptor (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) was reduced in response to HEWAF and COREXIT, but not BaP. Taken together, these data suggest that oil spill-related compounds markedly affect BBB function, and that these changes may underlie the observed behavioral changes due to crude oil exposure.