Effect of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning on expression of nuclear factor-κB in rats spinal cord tissue after ischemia-reperfusion

AIM:To investigate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning on the expression of NF-κB in rats spinal cord tissue after ischemia-reperfusion.METHODS: 80 male rats were randomly allocated to 2 groups(40 in each group): animals in control group received room air and normal ambient pressure;animals in HBO group received HBO pretreatment.At 4,12,24,48 h after reperfusion,the neurologic status was scored by the Tarlov criteria.All the animals were sacrificed at 48 h after reperfusion and their spinal cords(L5-7)were removed to determine expression of NF-κB by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: The neurologic function scores in HBO group were higher than that in control groups at 4,12,24,48 h after reperfusion(P0.05).The expression of NF-κB in HBO group were higher than that in control group at 4,12,24,48 h after reperfusion(P0.05).A positive correlation was found between the neurologic function scores and the expression of NF-κB in spinal cord(r=0.72,0.65,P0.05).CONCLUSION: Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning can significant1y improve the motor function of hind limbs in rats after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury,and it might be re1ated with inhibition of the expression of NF-κB.