Vascular endothelial growth/permeability factor in spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
Predicated on the hypothesis that this cytokine can contribute to the development of vascular hyperpermeability, leading to tissue edema after trauma, the purpose of this study was to determine the presence in tissue of vascular endothelial growth/permeability factor (VEG/PF) after experimental spinal cord injury.


METHODS
The presence of VEG/PF was studied at 8 hours and 2, 8, and 14 days after a traumatic injury in adult Wistar rats. Studies were conducted in which a monoclonal antibody to the VEG/PF was used. Strong VEG/PF immunoreactivity was detected in the walls of pial and intramedullary vessels and in reactive astrocytes 8 hours posttrauma and was unchanged on Days 2 and 8. By Day 14, immunoreactivity decreased, and most of the arterioles from the pia and gray matter showed no mural VEG/PF.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors' present findings suggest a role for this cytokine in the development of tissue edema after spinal cord trauma and point to the possible usefulness of a therapeutic approach to spinal cord injury based on blocking the cell expression of VEG/PF or its physiological effects.
Vaquero
J
J
Neurosciences Research Unit, Mapfre-Medicine Foundation, Puerta de Hierro Clinic, Autonomous University, Madrid, Spain.
Zurita
M
M
de Oya
S
S
Coca
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000098:blood supply; D010841:Pia Mater / Q000098:blood supply; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors