Epigenetic Reactivation of CNS Endothelial Developmental Programs Triggers Adult Brain Angiogenesis, Promotes Post-Stroke Revascularization and Neuronal Regeneration.

Therapeutic angiogenesis is essential for regenerating brain tissue damaged by stroke, yet it remains an unmet clinical challenge. During brain development, pro-angiogenic genes drive the formation of vascular networks, with their expression tightly regulated in later stages. We found that in adult CNS endothelial cells (ECs), angiogenesis-related genes are epigenetically silenced through histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) and the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2).