This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

First evidence of in vivo pro-angiogenic activity of cerebrospinal fluid samples from multiple sclerosis patients.


Increased vascular density and endothelial cell proliferation have been demonstrated in multiple sclerosis (MS) white matter, as well as an elevated vascular endothelial growth factor expression was detected in reactive astrocytes of both active and inactive chronic demyelinated lesions and in sera of MS patients during clinical relapses. In this study, we have investigated the angiogenic activity of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from MS patients with different stages of disease by means of the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), a well-known assay to study angiogenesis in vivo. Results have shown that CSF samples from MS patients induced a significant (p < 0.05) angiogenic response in CAM in comparison with CSF from neurological controls. The vessel density was higher (p < 0.0001) in secondary (23.60 ± 1.14) and primary (23.50 ± 1.87) progressive patients in comparison with relapsing MS (17.25 ± 1.75) and clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of MS (13.00 ± 1.79), and a significant correlation (r = 0.611, p = 0.005) was found between the angiogenic response and disability level. The results of this preliminary report demonstrate for the first time an angiogenic activity in vivo of CSF samples from MS patients and confirm the importance of angiogenesis as a key event in MS pathogenesis and progression.


source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25539984

Thanks, Frodo--
Great paper!
Dr. Paula Grammas has been studying angiogenesis --or the body's attempt to grow new blood vessels--in Alzheimer's. She was the keynote speaker at the ISNVD last February, and we discussed how endothelial cells become confused in AD, and crank out angiogenic signaling, yet the blood vessels do not grow in response. She believes this misfiring might be modifiable with anti-angiogenesis drugs, and is testing that now.


Angiogenic factors in MS once again show the connection of MS to the vascular system, blood flow and endothelial dysfunction. Also found in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Recently, a pivotal role for neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases has been recognized. Once activated, glial cells produce pathological amounts of neurotoxic substances driving neurodegeneration into chronic progression through a self-propagating cycle. Nevertheless, mounting evidence suggests that also angiogenesis may importantly contribute to neurodegeneration, since activated glial cells may release also pro-angiogenic factors. A deregulation of the balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic mediators has been reported in in vivo and in vitro models of neuroinflammation. Indeed, in Alzheimer's disease brain, a significant increase in the expression of pro-angiogenic growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, was found strictly co-localized with senile plaques. In addition, converging results indicate that thalidomide and its derivatives, having newly discovered anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties, are useful in the prevention of several hallmarks of neurodegeneration occurring in experimental models of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. The present review primarily discusses about the possible roles, still under debate, of angiogenesis in neurodegeneration, and focuses on the identification of new possible anti-angiogenic compounds that could open new horizons in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases where angiogenesis is detrimental.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20874699

Angiogenesis is found in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion--- or slowed cerebral blood flow and lowered O2.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21081957

cheer

Angiogenesis is the reaction of the endothelium to low oxygen, and would make sense in a situation where blood vessels have been damaged or killed. It is also the problem when pre-cancerous cells become cancerous. The difference is the cancer tissue now has a growing blood supply but the vessels that grow are mutant, scrambled, out of control. If cancer and MS are two mutually exclusive sides of the same coin, perhaps it is because something is happening in MS that prevents angiogenesis from being the correct response to endothelial damage, therefore it is impossible to get a cancerous response either. Dr. Zivadinov has found that there are missing capillaries in MS brains. Perhaps MS and CCSVI are the same problem.