Vascular PDGFR-alpha protects against BBB dysfunction after stroke in mice

• Blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction underlies the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFR alpha) induces hemorrhagic transformation (HT) downstream of tissue plasminogen activator in thrombolytic therapy of acute stroke. Thus, PDGFs are attractive therapeutic targets for BBB dysfunction. In the present study, we examined the role of PDGF signaling in the process of tissue remodeling after middle cerebral arterial occlusion (MCAO) in mice. Firstly, we found that imatinib increased lesion size after permanent MCAO in wild-type mice. Moreover, imatinib-induced HT only when administrated in the subacute phase of MCAO, but not in the acute phase. Secondly, we generated genetically mutated mice (C-KO mice) that showed decreased expression of perivascular PDGFR alpha. Additionally, transient MCAO experiments were performed in these mice. We found that the ischemic lesion size was not affected; however, the recruitment of PDGFR alpha/type I collagen-expressing perivascular cells was significantly downregulated, and HT and IgG leakage was augmented only in the subacute phase of stroke in C-KO mice. In both experiments, we found that the expression of tight junction proteins and PDGFR beta-expressing pericyte coverage was not significantly affected in imatinib-treated mice and in C-KO mice. The specific implication of PDGFR alpha signaling was suggestive of protective effects against BBB dysfunction during the subacute phase of stroke. Vascular TGF-beta 1 expression was downregulated in both imatinib-treated and C-KO mice, along with sustained levels of MMP9. Therefore, PDGFR alpha effects may be mediated by TGF-beta 1 which exerts potent protective effects in the BBB.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Cell- och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Cell and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Ischemic stroke

Hemorrhagic transformation

Perivascular fibroblast-like cells

PDGF receptor-alpha

Imatinib

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)