BACKGROUND:cAMP-response element binding protein(CREB) is a key modulator of various signaling pathways.CREB activation initiates a series of intracellular signaling pathways that promote neuronal survival. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the regulatory effects of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) on cerebral neuronal CREB expression following ischemia/reperfusion injury. DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:An immunohistochemical detection experiment was performed at the Department of Anatomy,Shenyang Medical College,between October 2006 and April 2008. MATERIALS:A total of 60 healthy,adult,Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated(n=12),ischemia/reperfusion(n=24),and bFGF-treated(n=24).Rabbit anti-rat CREB(1:100) and biotin labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG were purchased from the Wuhan Boster Company,China.MetaMorph-evolution MP5.0-BX51 microscopy imaging system was provided by China Medical University,China. METHODS:Rat models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were developed using the suture method for right middle cerebral artery occlusion.Two-hour ischemia was followed by reperfusion. Rats from the bFGF-treated and ischemia/reperfusion groups were intraperitoneally administered endogenous bFGF(500 IU/mL,2 000 IU/kg) or an equal amount of physiological saline.Rats from the sham-operated group underwent a similar surgical procedure,without induction of ischemia/reperfusion injury and drug administration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:After 48-hour reperfusion,hippocampal and parietal cortical neuronal CREB expression was detected by immunohistochemistry,and the absorbance of hippocampal CREB-positive products was determined using MetaMorph-evolutionMP5.0-BX51 microscopy imaging system. RESULTS:The sham-operated group exhibited noticeable CREB expression in hippocampal and parietal cortical neurons.In the ischemia/reperfusion group,the CREB expression was discrete and neurons were poorly arranged.The bFGF-treated group exhibited increased CREB expression and better neuronal arrangement compared with the ischemia/reperfusion group.The mean absorbance of CREB-immunoreactive products in the hippocampus and parietal cortex was significantly higher in the ischemia/reperfusion group than in the sham-operated group(P<0.05),and significantly higher in the bFGF-treated group than in the ischemia/reperfusion group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION:bFGF significantly upregulates CREB expression in hippocampal and parietal cortical neurons following ischemia/reperfusion injury. BACKGROUND: cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) is a key modulator of various signaling pathways. CREB activation initiates a series of intracellular signaling pathways that promote neuronal survival. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An immunohistochemical detection experiment was performed at the Department of Anatomy, Shenyang Medical College, between October 2006 and April 2008. MATERIALS: A total of 60 healthy, adult, Wistar Rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated (n = 12), ischemia / reperfusion (n = 24), and bFGF-treated anti-rabbit IgG were purchased from the Wuhan Boster Company, China. MetaMorph-evolution MP5.0-BX51 microscopy imaging system was provided by China Medical University, China. METHODS: Rat models of cerebral ischemia / reperfusion injury were develop ed using the suture method for right middle cerebral artery occlusion. Two-hour ischemia was followed by reperfusion. Rats from the bFGF-treated and ischemia / reperfusion groups were intraperitoneally administered endogenous bFGF (500 IU / mL, 2000 IU / kg) or an equal amount of physiological saline. Rats from the sham-operated group underwent a similar surgical procedure, without induction of ischemia / reperfusion injury and drug administration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: After 48-hour reperfusion, hippocampal and parietal cortical neuronal CREB expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the absorbance of hippocampal CREB-positive products was determined using MetaMorph-evolution MP 5.0-BX51 microscopy imaging system. RESULTS: The sham-operated group imaging notice CREB expression in hippocampal and parietal cortical neurons. the ischemia / reperfusion group , the CREB expression was discrete and neurons were poorly arranged. The bFGF-treated group showed increased CREB expression and better neuronal arrangement compared with the ischemia / reperfusion group. The mean absorbance of CREB-immunoreactive products in the hippocampus and parietal cortex was significantly higher in the ischemia / reperfusion group than in sham-operated group (P <0.05), and more higher in the bFGF-treated group than in the ischemia / reperfusion group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: bFGF significantly upregulates CREB expression in hippocampal and parietal cortical neurons following ischemia / reperfusion injury.