Following the primary traumatic injury, spinal cord tissue undergoes a series of pathobiological changes, including compromised blood-spinal cord-barrier (BSCB) integrity. These vascular changes occur over both time and space. In an experimental model of spinal cord injury (SCI), longitudinal dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI)studies were performed up to 56 days post-SCI to quantify spatial and temporal changes in the BSCB permeability in tissue that did not show any visible enhancement on the post-contrast MRI(non-enhancing tissue). DCE-MRI data was analyzed using a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. These studies demonstrate gradual restoration of BSCB with post-SCI time. But, based on DCE-MRI, and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, the BSCB remained compromised even at 56 days post-SCI.In addition, open-field locomotion was evaluated using the 21 point Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale. A significant correlation between decreased BSCB permeability and improved locomotor recovery was observed.

Comprehensive in vivo longitudinal studies that include multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a battery of behavioral assays to assess functional outcome were performed at multiple time points up to 56 days post-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in rodents. The MRI studies included high-resolution structural imaging for lesion volumetry, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for probing the white matter integrity. The behavioral assays included open-field locomotion, grid walking, inclined plane, computerized activity box performance, and von Frey filament tests. Additionally, end-point histology was assessed for correlation with both the MRI and behavioral data. The temporal patterns of the lesions were documented on structural MRI. DTI studies showed significant changes in white matter that is proximal to the injury epicenter and persisted to day 56. White matter in regions up to 1 cm away from the injury epicenter that appeared normal on conventional MRI also exhibited changes that were indicative of tissue damage, suggesting that DTI is a more sensitive measure of the evolving injury. Correlations between DTI and histology after SCI could not be firmly established, suggesting that injury causes complex pathological changes in multiple tissue components that affect the DTI measures. Histological evidence confirmed a significant decrease in myelin and oligodendrocyte presence 56 days post-SCI. Multiple assays to evaluate aspects of functional recovery correlated with histology and DTI measures, suggesting that damage to specific white matter tracts can be assessed and tracked longitudinally after SCI.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in immediate disruption of the spinal vascular network, triggering an ischemic environment and initiating secondary degeneration. Promoting angiogenesis and vascular stability through the induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), respectively, provides a possible therapeutic approach in treating SCI. We examined whether supplementing the injured environment with these two factors, which are significantly reduced following injury, has an effect on lesion size and functional outcome. Sustained delivery of both VEGF 165 and Ang-1 was realized using viral vectors based on the adeno-associated virus (AAV), which were injected directly into the lesion epicenter immediately after injury. Our results indicate that the combined treatment with VEGF and Ang-1 resulted in both reduced hyperintense lesion volume and vascular stabilization, as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Western blot analysis indicated that the viral vector expression was maintained into the chronic phase of injury, and that the use of the AAV vectors did not exacerbate infiltration of microglia into the lesion epicenter. The combined treatment with AAV-VEGF and AAV-Ang-1 improved locomotor recovery in the chronic phase of injury. These results indicate that combining angiogenesis with vascular stabilization may have potential therapeutic applications following SCI.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A mRNA was previously identified as one of the significantly upregulated transcripts in spinal cord injured tissue from adult rats that developed allodynia. To characterize the role of VEGF-A in the development of pain in spinal cord injury (SCI), we analyzed mechanical allodynia in SCI rats that were treated with either vehicle, VEGF-A isoform 165 (VEGF 165 ), or neutralizing VEGF 165 -specific antibody. We have observed that exogenous administration of VEGF 165 increased both the number of SCI rats that develop persistent mechanical allodynia, and the level of hypersensitivity to mechanical stimuli. Our analysis identified excessive and aberrant growth of myelinated axons in dorsal horns and dorsal columns of chronically injured spinal cords as possible mechanisms for both SCI pain and VEGF 165 -induced amplification of SCI pain, suggesting that elevated endogenous VEGF 165 may have a role in the development of allodynia after SCI. However, the neutralizing VEGF 165 antibody showed no effect on allodynia or axonal sprouting after SCI. It is possible that another endogenous VEGF isoform activates the same signaling pathway as the exogenouslyadministered 165 isoform and contributes to SCI pain. Our transcriptional analysis revealed that endogenous VEGF 188 is likely to be the isoform involved in the development of allodynia after SCI. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest a possible link between VEGF, nonspecific sprouting of myelinated axons, and mechanical allodynia following SCI.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is thought to provide neuroprotection to the traumatically injured spinal cord. We examined whether supplementing the injured environment with VEGF 165 via direct intraspinal injection into the lesion epicenter during the acute phase of spinal cord injury (SCI) results in improved outcome. The effect of treatment was investigated using longitudinal multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neurobehavioral assays, and end-point immunohistochemistry. We observed on MRI that rats treated with VEGF 165 after SCI had increased tissue sparing compared to vehicle-treated animals at the earlier time points. However, these favorable effects were not maintained into the chronic phase. Histology revealed that VEGF 165 treatment resulted in increased oligodendrogenesis and/or white matter sparing, and therefore may eventually lead to improved functional outcome. The increase in spared tissue as demonstrated by MRI, coupled with the possible remyelination and increased neurosensory sensitivity, suggests that VEGF 165 treatment may play a role in promoting plasticity in the sensory pathways following SCI. However, VEGF-treated animals also demonstrated an increased incidence of persistent allodynia, as indicated on the von Frey filament test.

Compromised blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) is a factor in the outcome following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent stimulator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability. The role of VEGF in SCI is controversial. Relatively little is known about the spatial and temporal changes in the BSCB permeability following administration of VEGF in experimental SCI. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) studies were performed to noninvasively follow spatial and temporal changes in the BSCB permeability following acute administration of VEGF in experimental SCI over a post-injury period of 56 days. The DCE-MRI data was analyzed using a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Animals were assessed for open field locomotion using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score. These studies demonstrate that the BSCB permeability was greater at all time points in the VEGF-treated animals compared to saline controls, most significantly in the epicenter region of injury. Although a significant temporal reduction in the BSCB permeability was observed in the VEGF-treated animals, BSCB permeability remained elevated even during the chronic phase. VEGF treatment resulted in earlier improvement in locomotor ability during the chronic phase of SCI. This study suggests a beneficial role of acutely administered VEGF in hastening neurobehavioral recovery after SCI.