<正>Objective:To study the protective mechanisms of neurotrophin-3 （NT-3） on the spinal cord injury. Methods: Totally 105 SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group

experimental group and sham operation group. Rats from the former 2 groups were inflicted to animal model of acute spinal cord injury according to Allen’s （WD） by situating a thin plastic tube in the subarachnoid space below the injury level for perfusion. Rats in experimental group received 20μl NT-3 （200 ng） from the tube at 0

4

8

12

24 h and 3

7 d after injury

and those in control group got an equal volume of normal saline at the same time. The animals in sham operation group only received opening vertebral plate and tube was put in subarachnoid space. The rats were sacrificed at 4

8

12

24 h and 3

7

14 d post injury （n = 5）. The expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in spinal cord of rats were detected by immunohis-tochemistry assay. Results: The level of Bax protein in control group significantly increased as compared with those in sham operation group

and the peak reached at 8 h after spinal cord injury. The Bcl-2 proteins were always weakly positive. The Bax proteins in NT-3 group significantly decreased but the Bcl-2 proteins obviously increased as compared with those in control group. Conclusion: NT-3 can protect spinal cord from injury in vivo. One of the mechanisms is that NT-3 can inhibit abnormal expression of Bax protein

and increase the expression of Bcl-2 protein

then inhibit apoptosis after spinal cord injury.