Brain-selective VEGF overexpression induces post-ischemic neuroprotection, but also facilitates hemodynamic steal phenomena

Background: Therapeutic angiogenesis with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a clinically promising strategy in ischemic disease. The pathophysiological consequences of enhanced vessel formation, however, are poorly understood. Methods: We here established mice overexpressing human VEGF165 under a neuron-specific NSE promoter, which exhibited an increased density of brain vessels under physiological conditions. We submitted these mice to transient focal ischemias, as induced by 90 and 30 minutes episodes of intraluminal middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusions and examined the effects of brain-selective…