Abstract
Following the cessation of ovarian steroid hormone production meningeal microvascular networks of ovariectomized pigs undergo dramatic remodeling characterized by a 3-fold decrease in microvessel density, an increase in average microvessel size, and greater than 4-fold increase in vascular permeability. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning ovarian hormone dependent microvascular remodeling, we analyzed changes in expression of the PDGF/VEGF family growth factors and their receptors on systemic (serum) and local (tissue, large vessels, and microvessels) levels. Our results demonstrate differential patterns of regulation of PDGF, VEGF, and their receptors indicating that both systemic and local alterations in the expression of PDGF AB and BB and PDGF receptor alpha (αPDGFR) play key roles in regulating ovarian hormone dependent microvascular remodeling. In contrast, systemic and local changes in VEGF and VEGFR2/flk-1 appear to be minute and somewhat secondary to the changes in the PDGF/αPDGFR system. How autocrine or paracrine regulation of ER-interacting proteins generate cell-type and tissue-specific effects of estrogen remains to be determined. Supported by: AHA Heartland Affiliate Postdoctoral Fellowship, NASA NNJ05HF376, and NIH1C06RR017353-01
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