Regional early and progressive loss of brain pericytes but not vascular smooth muscle cells in adult mice with disrupted platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β signaling

Nikolakopoulou AM, Zhao Z, Montagne A, Zlokovic BV (2017) Regional early and progressive loss of brain pericytes but not vascular smooth muscle cells in adult mice with disrupted platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β signaling. PLoS ONE 12(4): e0176225. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176225

Pericytes regulate key neurovascular functions of the brain. Studies in pericyte-deficient transgenic mice with aberrant signaling between endothelial-derived platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) in pericytes have contributed to better understanding of the role of pericytes in the brain. Here, we studied Pdgfrβ^F7/F7 mice, which carry seven point mutations that disrupt PDGFRβ signaling causing loss of pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the developing brain. We asked whether these mice have a stable or progressive vascular phenotype after birth, and whether both pericyte and VSMCs populations are affected in the adult brain.

Plasma Levels of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Visfatin During Different Stages and Different Subtypes of Migraine Headaches.

Li C, Zhu Q, He Q, Wang J, Wang F, Zhang H

Med Sci Monit. 2017 Jan 03;23:24-28

The aim of this study was to determine the plasma levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and visfatin in different stages and different subtypes of migraine headaches compared to a control group to elucidate the pathological mechanisms involved. We recruited a case-control cohort of 182 adult migraine patients and 80 age-matched and gender-matched healthy controls. The migraine patients were divided into two groups: the headache-attack-period group (Group A, n=77) and the headache-free-period group (Group B, n=105). The two groups were further divided into subgroups according to whether they had aura symptoms. Solid phase double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the plasma levels of COX-2 and visfatin. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0. The plasma levels of COX-2 and visfatin in the headache-attack-period group were significantly higher than in the headache-free-period group and the control group; there were no significant differences between the headache-free group and the control group. There were no significant differences in plasma levels of COX-2 and visfatin between the subgroups: headache-attack-period with aura subgroup and the headache-attack-period without aura sub group. COX-2 and visfatin participated in the pathogenesis of migraine headaches. The presence of aura had no effect on the serum levels of COX-2 and visfatin.

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Use of combined hormonal contraceptives among women with migraines and risk of ischemic stroke.

Champaloux SW, Tepper NK, Monsour M, Curtis KM, Whiteman MK, Marchbanks PA, Jamieson DJ

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Dec 26;:

    Migraine with aura and combined hormonal contraceptives are independently associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. However, little is known about whether there are any joint effects of migraine and hormonal contraceptives on risk of stroke.
To estimate the incidence of stroke in women of reproductive age and examine the association between combined hormonal contraceptive use, migraine type (with or without aura), and ischemic stroke.
This study used a nationwide health care claims database and employed a nested case control study design. Women ages 15-49 years with first-ever stroke during 2006-2012 were identified using the International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision-Clinical Modifications inpatient services diagnosis codes. Four controls were matched to each case based on age. Migraine headache with and without aura was identified using inpatient or outpatient diagnosis codes. Current combined hormonal contraceptive use was identified using the National Drug Code from the pharmacy database. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of ischemic stroke by migraine type and combined hormonal contraceptive use.
Between 2006-2012, there were 25,887 ischemic strokes among women ages 15-49, for a cumulative incidence of 11 strokes per 100,000 women. Compared to women with neither migraine nor combined hormonal contraceptive use, the odds ratio of ischemic stroke was highest among women with migraine with aura using combined hormonal contraceptives (odds ratio 6.1, 95% confidence interval 3.1-12.1); odds ratios were also elevated for migraine with aura without combined hormonal contraceptive use (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.9-3.7), migraine without aura and combined hormonal contraceptive use (odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.9), and migraine without aura without combined hormonal contraceptive use (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.9-2.7).
The joint effect of combined hormonal contraceptives and migraine with aura was associated with a 6-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke compared with neither risk factor. Use of combined hormonal contraceptives did not substantially further increase risk of ischemic stroke among women with migraine without aura. Determining migraine type is critical in assessing safety of combined hormonal contraceptives among women with migraine.

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