title: Role of vascular endothelial growth factor in neuronal DNA damage and repair in rat brain following a transient cerebral ischemia.
abstract: The antisense knockdown technique and confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis were used to elucidate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induction and its effect on DNA damage and repair in rat brain following a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Immunohistochemical study and in situ hybridization showed that the expression of VEGF and its mRNA was enhanced in the ischemic core and penumbra of ischemic brain. Western blot analysis further illustrated that VEGF induction was time-dependently changed in these areas. Double-staining analysis indicated that VEGF-positive staining existed in the neuron, but not in the glia, and it colocalized with excision repair cross-complementing group 6 (ERCC6) mRNA, a DNA repair factor. VEGF antisense oligodeoxynucleotide infusion reduced VEGF induction and resulted in an enlargement of infarct volume of the brain caused by ischemia. Moreover, it also increased the number of DNA damaged cells and lessened the induction of ERCC6 mRNA in ischemic brains. These results suggest that the induction of endogenous VEGF in ischemic neurons plays a neuroprotective role probably associated with the expression of ERCC6 mRNA.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zeng-Jin
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Mei-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Ling-Mei
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shi-Duo
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ya-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Feng-Yan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004249:DNA Damage; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004260:DNA Repair; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D004265:DNA Helicases