Neovascularization following traumatic brain injury: possible evidence for both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to characterize the angiogenic response following traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
Western analysis for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, double immunofluorescence labeling of endothelium and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), bromodioxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and measurement of capillary density, were all used to determine the temporal angiogenic response following TBI.


RESULTS
The angiogenic factors, VEGF and VEGFR2, increase following trauma. Capillary density increases and BrdU incorporation confirm the presence of newly formed vessels up to 48 hours post-injury.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicated that following TBI, there is a substantial increase in angiogenesis and based on morphologic characterization of BrdU-positive nuclei within the endothelium, we provide evidence for vasculogenesis following injury.
Morgan
Randy
R
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Kreipke
Christian W
CW
Roberts
George
G
Bagchi
Mihir
M
Rafols
José A
JA
D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism
D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine