The protective role of neurotrophin-4 in spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a significant form of neurological damage, leading to neuronal death, inflammation, and severe motor and sensory deficits. Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), a crucial polypeptide growth factor, has emerged as a promising agent in promoting axonal growth and neuroplasticity. This review aims to explore the role of NT-4 in the context of SCI repair and its relationship with underlying injury mechanisms. We discuss the progress so as to understand the role of NT-4 in enhancing neuronal survival, mitigating apoptosis, and facilitating functional recovery following SCI. Furthermore, we summarized both endogenous and exogenous the protective effects of NT-4, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities for clinical applications, so as to understand the NT-4’s contributions to spinal cord repair, which may ultimately lead to innovative therapeutic strategies for SCI rehabilitation.