Figure 1

Inflammatory cell infiltration is linked to angiogenesis in both MS and EAE. Inflammatory cells (T cells and macrophages) infiltrate the central nervous system parenchyma of a demyelinated lesion in both human MS or mouse EAE (depicted in the schematic diagram). After entering the hypoxic environment of the lesion, T cells and macrophages secrete pro-angiogenic factors (VEGF, angiopoietin1/2, and MMP-2, −7, −9) that both promote angiogenesis and exacerbate lesion pathology. These factors act both in a paracrine manner in endothelial cells to stimulate angiogenesis, as well as in an autocrine fashion, to exacerbate the inflammatory response of both T cells and macrophages.