The therapeutic effect of deferoxamine (DFO) for spinal cord injury (SCI) has been demonstrated in previous studies; however, the exact mechanism of action is still unclear. Here, we hypothesized that DFO ameliorates spinal cord compression by promoting neovascularization. Using an SCI model of moderate compression, rats were intraperitoneally injected with 30 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg DFO for 1-2 weeks, and significant neovascularization was found in the injured spinal cord, showing overexpression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and an increase in the number of new blood vessels. In addition, SCI in rats was significantly ameliorated after treatment with DFO, with less motor dysfunction, increased spared neural tissue, and improved electrophysiological conduction. By contrast, the ameliorative effect of DFO on SCI was suppressed when DFO-induced neovascularization was blocked by lenvatinib, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor, further suggesting that the primary pharmacological effect of DFO in SCI is the promotion of neovascularization. Therefore, we concluded that DFO effectively alleviated SCI by promoting neovascularization in the injured spinal cord. Considering that DFO is an FDA-approved free radical scavenger and iron chelator, it may represent a promising alternative strategy for SCI therapy in the future.
Keywords: Deferoxamine; Hypoxia inducible factor-1α; Neovascularization; Spinal cord injury; Vascular endothelial growth factor.