Rescuing vasculature with intravenous angiopoietin-1 and αvβ3 integrin peptide is protective after spinal cord injury

Blood vessel loss and inflammation cause secondary degeneration following spinal cord injury. Angiopoietin-1 through the Tie2 receptor, and other ligands through αvβ3 integrin, promote endothelial cell survival during developmental or tumour angiogenesis. Here, daily intravenous injections with an αvβ3-binding peptide named C16 or an angiopoietin-1 mimetic following a spinal cord contusion at thoracic level 9 in mice rescued epicentre blood vessels, white matter and locomotor function, and reduced detrimental inflammation. Preserved vascularity and reduced inflammation correlated with improved outcomes. C16 and angiopoietin-1 reduced leukocyte transmigration in vitro. Growth factor receptors and integrins facilitate each others’ function. Therefore, angiopoietin-1 and C16 were combined and the effects were additive, resulting in almost complete functional recovery. The treatment had lasting effects when started 4 h following injury and terminated after one week. These results identify αvβ3 integrin and the endothelial-selective angiopoietin-1 as vascular and inflammatory regulators that can be targeted in a clinically relevant manner for neuroprotection after central nervous system trauma.