Upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in severe chronic brain hypoxia of the rat

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 1998-08, Vol.252 (3), p.199-202
• Main Authors: Patt, Stephan, Danner, Simone, Théallier-Jankó, Ágota, Breier, Georg, Hottenrott, Guido, Plate, Karl H, Cervós-Navarro, Jorge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Northern; Brain; Cerebral circulation. Blood-brain barrier. Choroid plexus. Cerebrospinal fluid. Circumventricular organ. Meninges; Chronic Disease; Chronic hypoxia; Endothelial Growth Factors - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hypoxia, Brain - metabolism; In Situ Hybridization; Lymphokines - metabolism; Male; Rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Up-Regulation; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00582-5

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to be upregulated in acute hypoxia. Although an increase in blood vessel number has been described in severe chronic brain hypoxia, it is unclear whether VEGF is upregulated in this condition. We therefore investigated male inbred Wistar rats, which were exposed for 9 to 13 weeks to decreasing amounts of oxygen, down to 7% O 2 (15%: 15 days; 12%, 10%, respectively; 8%: 1 day, 3 weeks, respectively; 7%: 4 weeks). The expression of VEGF was studied by Northern analysis and in situ hybridization in frozen sections of cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum in six chronic hypoxic and two control rats. We found a marked upregulation of VEGF mRNA in all brain regions investigated, being strongest in cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Our results suggest a potential role of VEGF for vascular growth and vascular permeability observed in chronic cerebral hypoxia.