Ferrostatin-1 facilitated neurological functional rehabilitation of spinal cord injury mice by inhibiting ferroptosis

BACKGROUND: To seek the potential therapy for spinal cord injury, Ferrostatin-1, the first ferroptosis inhibitor, was administrated in spinal cord injury mice to identify the therapeutic effect. METHODS: Spinal cord injury model was established by a modified Allen’s method. Then, ferrostatin-1 was administrated by intraspinal injection. Cortical evoked motor potential and BMS were indicated to assess the neurological function rehabilitation. H&E, Nissl’s staining, NeuN, and GFAP immunofluorescence were used to identify the histological manifestation on the mice with the injured spinal cord. Spinosin, a selective small molecule activator of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, was administrated to verify the underlying mechanism of ferrostatin-1. RESULTS: Ferrostatin-1 promoted the rehabilitation of cortical evoked motor potential and BMS scores, synchronized with improvement in the histological manifestation of neuron survival and scar formation. Spinosin disturbed the benefits of ferrostatin-1 administration on histological and neurobehavioral manifestation by deranging the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Ferrostatin-1 improved the rehabilitation of spinal cord injury mice by regulating ferroptosis through the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40001-023-01264-7.