Obesity induces extracellular vesicle release from the endothelium as a contributor to brain damage after cerebral ischemia in rats.

Rats fed a HFD had an increased BMI with dyslipidemia and high levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Glia from the obese rats exhibited altered morphology, suggesting hyperreactivity related to neurological and motor deficits. Plasma from obese rats induced activation of endothelial cells, increasing proinflammatory signals and releasing more EVs. Similarly, these EVs caused an increase in NF-κB and astrocyte cytotoxicity. Together, the results suggest that obesity activates proinflammatory signals in endothelial cells, resulting in the release of EVs that simultaneously contribute to astrocyte activation.