The Dual Role of VEGF in Intracerebral Haemorrhage: From Pathological Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities

An intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a general type of haemorrhage in the brain, which arises due to the rupture of cerebral blood vessels. Many molecules have been investigated for their potential ability to modify hemostasis and blood-brain barrier function in ICH. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is highly expressed in some diseases and helps induce angiogenesis. VEGF serves as a key mediator of the angiogenic pathway and is now recognized as a major contributor to cerebrovascular diseases; many promising results have been obtained in animal therapeutic experiments. VEGF promotes blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) to increase oxygen and nutrient supply in damaged tissues, and exerts neuroprotective effects in processes including inflammation, apoptosis, neurotrophy, and protein clearance. This review examines the dual roles of VEGF in the pathology of ICH and explores therapeutic targets of VEGF pathways for this disease.