Deferoxamine mesylate is an iron chelator that binds free iron in a stable complex, preventing it from engaging in chemical reactions.

Deferoxamine treatment significantly increases HIF-1α binding under all culture conditions, including hypoxic and high-glucose. The mechanism of deferoxamine is through improving HIF-1α biological function through scavenging oxygen free radicals^[1]. Deferoxamine (5 μM) has significant effect on the tumor-associated stromal cells cellular multiplication, and cells die at day 7 after exposure to 50 μM and 100 μM deferoxamine. Deferoxamine (5 μM-100 μM) inhibits the proliferation of BMMSCs, and induces apoptosis of MSCs in a dose-dependent manner. Deferoxamine influences the expression of adhesion proteins on MSCs^[3]. Deferoxamine (30, 60, 120 μM) shows lower expression of HIF-1α in a concentration dependent way in AdMSCs^[4].

Deferoxamine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) lowers the mortality rate of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rat. Deferoxamine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuates Evan’s blue extravasation in cortex, ameliorates the tight junction detachment and preserves the integrity of the base membrane examined in electron microscope at day 3 after SAH. Deferoxamine attenuates degradation of BBB proteins after SAH and significantly reduces ferritin expression at day 3 in the cortex, and improves neurologic behavior and cognitive deficits after experimental^[1]. Ten µL of 1 mM deferoxamine-treated wounds display significantly accelerated healing from day 7 onward and heal significantly faster than control-treated wounds in diabetic mice. Deferoxamine-treated wounds and dimethyloxalylglycine-treated wounds heal significantly faster than control-treated wounds in aged mice^[2]. In deferoxamine (10 mg/mL)-treated TG mice, there is a decrease in both soluble and insoluble Aβ40 and Aβ42. Both pGSK3β and β-catenin are significantly increased by approximately 50% in the deferoxamine-treated mice^[5].

• [1]. Li Y, et al. Effects of deferoxamine on blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid hemorrhage. PLoS One. 2017 Mar 1;12(3):e0172784

  [2]. Duscher D, et al. Comparison of the Hydroxylase Inhibitor Dimethyloxalylglycine and the Iron Chelator Deferoxamine in Diabetic and Aged Wound Healing. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 Mar;139(3):695e-706e

  [3]. Wang G, et al. In vitro assessment of deferoxamine on mesenchymal stromal cells from tumor and bone marrow. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2017 Jan;49:58-64

  [4]. Wahl EA, et al. VEGF released by deferoxamine preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells seeded on collagen-GAG substrates enhances neovascularization. Sci Rep. 2016 Nov 10;6:36879

  [5]. Fine JM, et al. Intranasal deferoxamine engages multiple pathways to decrease memory loss in the APP/PS1 model of amyloid accumulation. Neurosci Lett. 2015 Jan 1;584:362-7