Expression and role of erythropoietin on the spinal cord ischemic reperfusion injury in adult rats

Objective:To investigate the expression of erythropoietin(EPO) on spinal cord ischemic reperfusion injury(SCII) in rats,and the neuroprotection role of recombinant human erythropoietin(rhuEPO) administered before SCI.Method:Male rats were randomized into normal group,sham operation group,normal saline group and erythropoietin group.At 3 hours before SCI,saline and rhuEPO was injected into the abdominal cavity.The expression changes of EPO in spinal cord were detected through the adoption of western blot and immunohistochemistry,and the neural cells apoptosis was detected through the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) methods.Result:The expression of EPO was detected in non-injuryed spinal cord,significantly increased at 8h and peaked at 12,24h after SCI,but appeared to decline after reperfusion on 3rdd,and remained significantly higher than that of the non-injured spinal cord after reperfusion on 5thd.RhuEPO significantly reduced the neural cells apoptosis in the injuried spinal cord in comparison with that of control animal receiving saline at 8,12,24h after SCI(P0.01).Conclusion:EPO was induced by SCI in rats,and changed in a time-depend maner,it may be one of endogenous nerve protective mechanisms.The administration of rhEPO significantly reduces the apoptosis of neural cells after SCI.