Fig. 2

VPA protects neurons against SCI-induced neuronal apoptosis in the lesioned spinal cord 7 days after SCI. a, b The sham group and the sham + VPA group obtained a low apoptotic fraction of neurons 7 days after the SCI. The percentage of apoptotic cells was higher in the SCI than in the sham group (P < 0.05). The apoptotic fraction was significantly lower in the SCI + VPA than in the SCI group (P < 0.05). Representative photomicrographs of the Nissl-stained neurons are shown. Enlarged images of boxed areas are shown below. The arrows indicate the apoptotic neurons. c Western blot analyses revealed that the SCI resulted in the upregulation of apoptotic factors in the lesioned spinal cord 7 days after the SCI. The cleaved caspase-3 and Bax levels decreased and the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 increased in the SCI + VPA group more than the SCI group (P < 0.05). d The TUNEL staining demonstrated that the TUNEL-positive neurons decreased significantly more in the VPA + SCI group than in the SCI group. Representative photomicrographs of the TUNEL-positive neurons are shown. The arrows indicate the apoptotic neurons. Values were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (n = 6 per group). N.S., P > 0.05, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. Scale bars = 50 μm