Objective      To observe the effect of sulforaphane on the inflammatory reaction

glial scar and axon regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice

and investigate the role of sulforaphane after SCI.       Methods      Sixty-six female ICR mice were randomly divided into 4 groups

that is

sham-operation group (group A

n=12)

simple injury group (group B

n=18)

solvent control group (group C

n=18)

and sulforaphane treatment group (group D

n=18). The mice in group A received laminectomy only

while the spinal cord of T11 segment of the mice in groups B

C and D was crushed to 0.2 mm for 15 s with a vessel clamp. The mice in group D were intraperitoneally given 5 mg/kg sulforaphane immediately after SCI

while the ones in group C were given equivalent amount of corn oil. The Basso mouse score (BMS) locomotor rating scale was used to evaluate behavioral consequences in 1

7

14

21

and 28 d after injury. Then the mice were sacrificed and the spinal cord tissue samples were harvested to observe the expression of P65

glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) by immunofluorescence assay in 7 d after injury. The protein expression of P65

GFAP and CSPG were determined by Western blotting in 7 d after injury and GAP-43 was detected in 28 d after injury. The protein expression of TNF-α and IL-1β were determined by ELISA in 7 d after injury.       Results      The BMS score in group A was 9. After SCI

hindlimb motor function in groups B

C and D showed varied degrees of recovery

and after 28 d

the BMS scores were 2.17±0.41 in group B

2.33±0.52 in group C

and 3.33±0.52 in group D. Group D was improved more remarkably than group B and group C (P0.05)

but there was no significant difference between group B and group C (P0.05). In 7 d after SCI

astrocyte activation was observed in each SCI group by immunofluorescence assay

and the expression levels of P65

GFAP and CSPG were increased more in group B and group C than in group D. Western blotting showed that the expression levels of P65

GFAP and CSPG in group D were significantly down-regulated compared with group B and group C

but the expression of GAP-43 in group D was up-regulated (P0.05). ELISA showed that the expression levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in group D were significantly down-regulated compared with group B and group C (P0.05).       Conclusion      Sulforaphane promotes the hindlimb functional recovery through attenuating inflammatory reaction

inhibiting glial scar formation and improving the axon regeneration after SCI.