Expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha in ischemia - reperfusion injuried spinal cord cells and the effect on them with methylprednisolone pre - intervention

Objective To observe the expression of TNF - α in rat spinal cord ischemia - reper-fusion injury and study the effect on it with methylprednisolone pre - intervention. Methods One hun-dred and fifty male Sprague - Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group, SC Ⅱgroup, MP group. The control group was not treated and the abdomial aorta of rats were clipped for 30 mi-nutes and then reperfused for 3 hours in SC Ⅱ group and MP group. The animals were treated with intra-venous of methylprednisolone in MP group. Then the spinal cords were taken out and cut, the pathological changes of spinal cord cells with HE staining and the expression of TNF - α in spinal cord cells with im-munohistochemieal staining were observed. The motor function score of hind - limb before the spinal sion of TNF - α was remarkably in the SC Ⅱ group, statistically analysis showed significant differences be-function score of hind - limb was decreased in the SCⅡ group and improved in the MP group. Conclu-methylprednisolone pre -intervention, MP has the neuroprotection potency. Key words: Spinal cord ischemia -reperfusion; Tumor necrosis factor alpha; Methylprednisolo-ne ;  Spinal cord protection ;  Rat