Post-stroke outcomes after cauterization of dCLN afferent lymphatics. (A) Mice received an ICM injection of AAV-VEGF-C or AAV-CTRL and 3 wk after underwent CLN ligation; 1 wk later mice were subject to a tMCAO. Animals were evaluated using MRI and behavioral tests at day 3 after stroke. (B–D) Functional analysis of tMCAO mice injected with AAV-VEGF-C and AAV-CTRL after CLN ligation. Quantification of the neurological score (B) and hanging wire test (C) and corner test (D) at 3 d-pso (n = 7–8 mice/group, ns = no significant difference Mann-Whitney test). (E) Representative images of MRI anatomical T2 weighted scans showing the infarct lesion induced by tMCAO in CNL AAV-CTRL and CNL AAV-VEGF-C mice. (F) MRI quantification of the infarct volume (n = 6–8 animals/group; Mann-Whitney test). (G) Comparison between AAV-CTRL mice without and with CLN ligation. Lesion volume measured using MRI at 3 d-pso. Two independent experiments, n = 6 mice/group. Scale bar: 500 µm.