Very early expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in brain oedema tissue associated with brain contusion.

作者信息

Suzuki R, Fukai N, Nagashijma G, Asai J I, Itokawa H, Nagai M, Suzuki T, Fujimoto T

机构信息

Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University, Fujigaoka Hospital, Japan.

出版信息

Acta Neurochir Suppl. 2003;86:277-9. doi: 10.1007/978-3-7091-0651-8_60.

BACKGROUND

Brain oedema associated with cerebral contusion can be life-threatening. Mechanisms of the development of brain oedema are still unclear.

METHOD

We investigated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor VEGFR-2 (KDR/Flk-1) in the contusional brain tissue obtained during neurosurgery from 5 patients.

FINDINGS

VEGF is expressed in some but not all the astrocytes, and KDR/Flk-1 is expressed in vascular endothelial cells in the con-tusional tissue as early as 3 hours after onset.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that the VEGF is induced in the contusional tissue in the very early period after onset, and that it increases capillary permeability via KDR/Flk-1 resulting in vasogenic type brain oedema.