Silencing Ephrin-B2 in pericytes in diabetic rats restored cerebral vascularization and improved cognitive functions.

Ephrin-B2 was decreased in cerebral pericytes using AAV viral injection. Animals were perfused with vascular Dil stain. (A) Representatives of brain sections imaged using confocal microscopy. 3D images reconstructs were quantified for neovascularization indices (B) vascular density (C) tortuosity and (D) branch density. Diabetes-induced pathological neovascularization, and selective inhibition of Ephrin-B2 in pericytes restored the neovascularization indices in diabetic rats. E) Novel object recognition test showing cognitive deterioration of diabetic animals compared to control. Selective inhibition of Ephrin-B2 in pericytes improved cognitive functions in diabetes. (N = 4–6, *P#P<0.05 vs diabetes).