Objective    To investigate the protection of focal cerebral ischemia tissue in rats by increasing the expression of neuroglobin (Ngb).     Methods    Hemin was employed to up-regulate Ngb. Rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were established with the method of Zea-Longa. Totally 75 healthy SD rats were randomly and equally divided into 5 groups

that is

sham-operation group

operation group

groups with intraperitoneal injection of hemin (12.5 g/L) in 1

2 or 6 h after operation. All rats were sacrificed 24 h after operation for volume of cerebral infarct

and the Ngb expression by immunohistochemical method and Western blotting.     Results    The volume of cerebral infarct of operation group was significantly larger than those of hemin treatment groups (P0.05)

and that of hemin 1 h postoperatively was significantly smaller than those of the other 2 hemin-treatment groups (P0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed that more cells positive to Ngb were observed in hemin-treatment group than in operation group

and hemin group of 1 h postoperatively was most distinguished among them (P0.01)

followed by the hemin group of 2 h after surgery (P0.05)

but there was no difference between the operation group and hemin treatment group of 6 h postoperatively. The Ngb expression was negatively correlated with the volume of cerebral infarct.     Conclusion    Increasing the expression of Ngb attenuates the damage after acute focal cerebral ischemia in rats.