Increased mRNA Expression of VEGF within the Hematoma and Imbalance of Angiopoietin-1 and -2 mRNA within the Neomembranes of Chronic Subdural Hematoma

The aim of the study was to determine the source of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hematoma fluid of patients suffering from chronic subdural hematoma (CSH) and to identify the level of gene expression of the pro-angiogenic factors angiopoietin 1 (ANG-1) and ANG-2 in hematoma membranes. Samples of venous blood, hematoma fluid, and outer membrane were obtained during surgery for CSH. The numbers of mononuclear cells were determined in hematoma fluid and in venous blood samples taken from 11 patients. The concentration of VEGF was measured by ELISA technique in hematoma fluid and in plasma. RT-PCR methodology was used to study the expression of different mRNA species in 11 patients. The mRNA species analyzed include VEGF and its receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, and ANG-1, ANG-2 and their receptor, Tie-2. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) served as housekeeping gene and was used for semiquantitative analysis. The VEGF concentration was several hundred fold higher in the hematoma fluid than in corresponding plasma samples. A significant correlation was found between the number of neutrophils and the VEGF content in the hematoma fluid. The expression levels of VEGF, mainly VEGF165 and VEGF121 mRNA were highest in cells obtained from the hematoma fluid. In membrane samples, mRNA encoding for VEGF and its receptors was only inconsistently detected while the mRNA species encoding for ANG-1, ANG-2, and Tie-2 were found throughout all samples. The mean ratio of ANG-1/ANG-2 mRNA expression was 0.48 as opposed to 1.9 in a normal human brain tissue sample. The results suggest that the hematoma cells are the primary source of VEGF. A marked increase in the expression of ANG-2 mRNA over ANG-1 mRNA demonstrates a pro-angiogenic pattern in the hematoma membranes. Persistent activation of the ANG/Tie-2 system in addition to high levels of VEGF may keep the vasculature in a destabilized condition and may account for the continuous formation of new and immature blood vessels resulting in massive plasma extravasation and repeated bleeding episodes. Thus, the present study provides new evidence in favor of pro-angiogenic mechanisms playing an important role in the pathophysiology of CSH.