Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Transplantation Promotes Therapeutic Angiogenesis via Upregulation of the VEGF-VEGFR2 Signaling Pathway in a Rat Model of Vascular Dementia.

Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Transplantation Promotes Therapeutic Angiogenesis via Upregulation of the VEGF-VEGFR2 Signaling Pathway in a Rat Model of Vascular Dementia.
Behav Brain Res. 2014 Feb 28;
Authors: Wang J, Fu X, Jiang C, Yu L, Wang M, Han W, Liu L, Wang J
Abstract
Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) are important for angiogenesis after stroke. We investigated the effects of BMMNCs on cognitive function, angiogenesis, and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling pathway in a rat model of vascular dementia. We transplanted BMMNCs into rats that had undergone permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (2VO) and observed their migration in vivo. On day 28, we assessed cognitive function with the Morris Water Maze test and examined vascular density and white matter damage within the corpus striatum by staining with fluorescein lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin or Luxol fast blue. We evaluated expression of VEGF, rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma 1 (Raf1), and extracellular-signal- regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in the ischemic hemisphere by Western blot analysis on day 7 after cell transplantation. Contribution of the VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling pathway was confirmed by using VEGFR2 inhibitor SU5416. BMMNCs penetrated the blood-brain barrier and reached the ischemic cortex and white matter or incorporated into vascular walls of 2VO rats. BMMNC-treated 2VO rats had better lea...

Source: Behavioural Brain Research - February 28, 2014 Category: Neurology Authors: Wang J, Fu X, Jiang C, Yu L, Wang M, Han W, Liu L, Wang J Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research