Background: This study investigated the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor bevacuzimab (BVZ) on the rabbit basilar artery using an experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) model.
Methods: Eighteen adult male New-Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: a control group (n = 6), SAH group (n = 6), and SAH+BVZ group (n = 6). Experimental SAH was created by injecting autologous arterial blood into the cisterna magna. In the treatment group, the subjects were administered a daily dose of 10 mg/kg, intravenous BVZ for 2 days after the SAH. Basilar artery diameters were measured with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) 72 h after the SAH in all groups. After 72 h, whole brains, including the upper cervical region, were obtained from all the animals after perfusion and fixation of the animal. The wall thickness, luminal area, and the apoptosis at the basilar arteries were evaluated in all groups.
Results: BVZ significantly prevented SAH-induced vasospasm confirmed in vivo with MRA imaging with additional suppression of apoptosis on basilar artery wall.
Discussion: VEGF inhibition with BVZ has shown to have a vasospasm and apoptosis attenuating effect on basilar artery in a SAH model.
Keywords: Apoptosis; bevacizumab; subarachnoid hemorrhage; vascular endothelial growth factors; vasoconstriction.