Fibroblasts repair blood-brain barrier damage and hemorrhagic brain injury via TIMP2

The function of fibroblasts in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains elusive. By targeting Col1α1, a fibroblast-specific marker, we generate mice with ablated Col1α1(+) fibroblasts. These mutants show exacerbated blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage, enlarged injury volume, and worse neurological function, highlighting a beneficial role of Col1α1(+) fibroblasts in ICH. Echoing these findings, fibroblasts significantly decrease endothelial permeability in an in vitro ICH model. Next, we demonstrate that fibroblasts promote BBB integrity in ICH mainly via up-regulating tight junction proteins without affecting transcytosis-associated proteins, indicating a paracellular rather than transcellular mechanism. A subsequent mechanistic study reveals that the BBB-protective effect of fibroblasts is partially mediated by TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 2 (TIMP2). Furthermore, we find that exogenous TIMP2 attenuates BBB disruption in these mutants after ICH. These results suggest that Col1α1(+) fibroblasts repair BBB damage in ICH via the paracellular pathway in a TIMP2-dependent manner, and that Col1α1(+) fibroblasts and TIMP2 may be targeted in ICH treatment.