The Role of Astrocytes and Blood–Brain Barrier Disruption in Alzheimer’s Disease
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Dear Authors,
This is an interesting review focused on the role of astrocytes and BBB in AD. I have some suggestions:
1. Since you talked about therapeutic strategies for the astrocytes in AD, are there any therapeutic strategies to improve the issues with the BBB? You should include a section with these strategies.
2. You should expand the theraupeutic strategies targeting reactive astrocytes, and also, include a table as a summary of these strategies.
3. Please, review your references, many of them are relatively old, please, include more updated ones.
Thank you!
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
This manuscript by Cruz et al. reviewed the implications of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the role of astrocytes in AD pathology. Review of factors contributing to Aβ pathogenesis are critical for understanding clinical AD presentation and effective strategies for disease management. Unique property of the BBB is to restrict access of various harmful factors to brain, which requires specific attention since aging and disease related changes in BBB tight junctions have an important role in brain amyloid deposition. There are several articles that present review of this concept in recent years (Nat Rev Neurol. 2018, 14(3): 133–150; Front. Aging Neurosci. 2023, Volume 15 – 2023, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1102809), reducing the significance of the topic presented in this review. Similarly, the role of astrocytes in AD has also been extensively reviewed in recent years (Front. Neurol. 2021, Volume 12 – 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.619626; Ageing Research Reviews Volume 68, July 2021, 101335; The Biology of Glial Cells: Recent Advances. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8313-8_9), to list a few.
It would be beneficial for the readers to include additional information in this review that would be helpful for a comprehensive review of this topic. Inclusion of clinical manifestation of BBB disruption, reactive astrocytes would be helpful. Addition of biomarker discovery based on these phenomena as well as therapeutic discoveries to restore BBB integrity and to reduce reactive astrogliosis presentation is suggested. Discussion on approved clinical AD therapies and their effects on BBB disruption and astrocyte function would be valuable.
Please review the manuscript for minor typos and grammatical errors.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
This revised version has addressed the major concerns raised by this reviewer. The manuscript is acceptable for publication in its present form.
