Differential expression of capillary VEGF isoforms following traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
While it is known that angiogenesis occurs after trauma, we sought to characterize the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) subtypes, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and angiopoietin within capillaries of animals subjected to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Further, we sought to characterize pericyte cell death in isolated capillaries.


METHODS
We used Marmarou's acceleration impact model to induce head trauma and measured VEGF, VEGFR2 and angiopoietin levels in isolated capillaries. TUNEL was used to determine pericyte cell death.


RESULTS
The VEGF response was restricted to the VEGF120 isoform. No increase in transcripts for VEGF164 and VEGF188 was observed. VEGFR2 was marginally increased and angiopoietin was increased. A subset of pericytes were TUNEL-positive.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show a distinct expression pattern of angiogenic factors following injury and suggest that pericyte involvement in adaptive angiogenesis may be altered following TBI.
Dore-Duffy
Paula
P
Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroimmunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine Detroit, MI 48201, USA. pdduffy@med.wayne.edu
Wang
Xueqain
X
Mehedi
Afroza
A
Kreipke
Christian W
CW
Rafols
José A
JA
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D020286:Pericytes / Q000473:pathology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism
D000199:Actins; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat