Vascular endothelial growth factor improves recovery of sensorimotor and cognitive deficits after focal cerebral ischemia in the rat.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenesis factor with neurotrophic, neuroprotective and neuroproliferative effects. Depending on the dose, route and time of administration in relation to focal cerebral ischemia, VEGF can improve histological outcome and sensorimotor function in rodents. However, VEGF also increases vascular permeability, which can lead to brain edema and exacerbate ischemic brain injury. Thus, although VEGF is a candidate therapeutic for stroke and other ischemic disorders, its benefit relative to risk is uncertain. Considering that functional rather than histological measures of outcome are probably most relevant to therapeutic prospects for human stroke, we investigated the effects of VEGF after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats using a series of behavioral tests. We report that VEGF improves functional outcome in ischemic rats, including both sensorimotor and cognitive deficiencies.
Wang
Yaoming
Y
Buck Institute for Age Research, 8001 Redwood Boulevard, Novato, CA 94945, USA.
Galvan
Veronica
V
Gorostiza
Olivia
O
Ataie
Marina
M
Jin
Kunlin
K
Greenberg
David A
DA
D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A