Developmental expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 and vascular endothelial growth factor C in forebrain.

Increased understanding of the neurovascular niche suggests that development of the central nervous system (CNS) and its vasculature is coordinated through shared regulatory factors. These include the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, reported to promote neuroproliferation and neuroprotection in addition to angiogenesis via its receptors VEGFR1-3. VEGFR3, a mediator of lymphangiogenesis, is expressed in murine and rat brain from early gestation, has been associated with neural progenitors and neurons (Choi et al., 2010) and oligodendroglia (Le Bras et al., 2006) in the developing cortex and is reported to mediate adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) (Calvo et al., 2011). The early expression pattern of VEGFR3 protein and its cellular associations has not as yet been comprehensively reported. We describe the temporal expression of VEGFR3 protein at a cellular level and its close association with its VEGFC ligand, determined by double-labeling immunohistochemistry in the developing rat brain from embryonic day (E) 13 to postnatal day (P) 23. We found high expression of VEGFR3 in the ventricular zone and along radial glia in early gestation in association with neural stem cells and neuroblasts. Similar expression patterns were seen in the immature olfactory bulb and optic cup. In later development we found less expression by neural progenitors in proliferative regions including the SVZ and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. In contrast, VEGFR3 expression increased with development in the cortex in neurons and astrocytes, and appeared in the emerging population of oligodendroglial progenitors. High expression in ventricular ependyma, choroid plexus and pigmented retinal epithelium was noted from E18. VEGFC ligand was found in association with VEGFR3 throughout development, with highest expression in embryonic stages. Our findings suggest an important role for VEGFC/VEGFR3 signaling in neuronal proliferation in early forebrain development, and ongoing functions with niche neurogenesis, glial and ependymal function in the maturing postnatal brain.