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Temporal progression of angiogenesis and basal lamina deposition after contusive spinal cord injury in the adult rat
Author(s) -
Loy David N.,
Crawford Charles H.,
Darnall Jessica B.,
Burke Darlene A.,
Onifer Stephen M.,
Whittemore Scott R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.10168
Subject(s) - basal lamina , angiogenesis , spinal cord injury , anatomy , blood vessel , spinal cord , biology , pathology , neovascularization , white matter , blood–brain barrier , medicine , central nervous system , endocrinology , neuroscience , magnetic resonance imaging , ultrastructure , radiology , cancer research
After spinal cord injury (SCI), the absence of an adequate blood supply to injured tissues has been hypothesized to contribute to the lack of regeneration. In this study, blood vessel changes were examined in 28 adult female Fischer 344 rats at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 60 days after a 12.5 g · cm NYU impactor injury at the T9 vertebral level. Laminin, collagen IV, endothelial barrier antigen (SMI71), and rat endothelial cell antigen (RECA‐1) immunoreactivities were used to quantify blood vessel per area densities and diameters in ventral gray matter (VGM), ventral white matter (VWM), and dorsal columns (DC) at levels ranging 15 mm rostral and caudal to the epicenter. This study demonstrates an angiogenic response, defined as SMI71/RECA‐1–immunopositive endothelial cells that colocalize with a robust deposition of basal lamina and basal lamina streamers, 7 days after injury within epicenter VGM. This angiogenesis diminishes concurrent with cystic cavity formation. GAP43‐ and neurofilament‐ (68 kDa and 210 kDa) immunopositive fiber outgrowth was associated with these new blood vessels by day 14. Between 28 and 60 days after injury, increases in SMI71‐immunopositive blood vessel densities were observed in the remaining VWM and DC with a corresponding increase in vessel diameters up to 15 mm rostral and caudal to the epicenter. This second angiogenesis within VWM and DC, unlike the acute response observed in VGM, did not correspond to any previously described changes in locomotor behaviors in this model. We propose that therapies targeting angiogenic processes be directed at the interval between 3 and 7 days after SCI. J. Comp. Neurol. 445:308–324, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.