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Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM) are cerebrovascular abnormalities characterized by tangles of dysplastic arteries and veins, without a capillary bed in between. Although the incidence of bAVM is relatively low, their risk of rupture and subsequent intracranial hemorrhage lead to a significantly higher morbidity and mortality of the affected patients.
The bAVMs were initially considered to be strictly congenital. However, more recent evidence indicates that bAVMs are dynamic, biologically active angiogenic and inflammatory lesions. Consequently, understanding the cellular and molecular interactions that occur in the bAVM microenvironment may open new avenues for the management of this disease.
The purpose of the present study is to characterize the role of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) in the microenvironment of bAVM, with a particular focus on angiogenic processes (the interraction between MSCs and endothelial cells) and inflammation (the interraction between MSCs and myeloid cells).