Modulatory effect of HIF-1α gene on the expression of VEGF following spinal cord injury

Objective To explore the effect of adenoviral-mediated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) gene transfered into the injuryed spinal cord on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and provide the basis for the application of adenoviral-mediated HIF-1α gene transfer in the treatment of spinal cord injury.Methods The spinal cord injury (SCI) model was established by modified allen method.Animals were divided into four groups:treatment with HIF-1α virus (Ad-HIF-1α group),with no HIF-1α virus (Ad-blank group),with no virus (SCI group),and no treatment (Sham control).On the 1st,3rd,7th,14th and 28 th day,HE staining was done to observe the common change of the rat spinal cord slices and immunohistrochemical staining to detect the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF protein in those slices.Results Central core lesion was detected in the HE staining sections.The degree of hemorrhage and necrosis of Ad-HIF-1α rat spinal cord slices was lighter than those of SCI and Ad-blank groups.The number of survival neurons with relative normal morphology of Ad-HIF-1α rat spinal cord slices was more than those of SCI and Ad-blank groups.The optical density (OD) of HIF-1α and VEGF-positive neurons of Ad-HIF-1α group were increased significently as compared with those in SCI and Ad-blank groups (P0.05),and the expression duration of Ad-HIF-1α group prolonged.Conclusion In vivo adenoviral-mediated HIF-1α gene could express effectively by transferring method.HIF-1α gene can promote the expression of VEGF protein in spinal cord injury.The mortality of spinal cord neurons could be reduced through the adenoviral-mediated HIF-1α gene therapy.