Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of early intervention on adhesion molecule NB-3 expressing in cerebral injured neonatal rat induced with intrauterine infection. Methods Pregnant rats were consecutively injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 380 μg/kg or saline 17 d after gestation. The offspring from the LPS group accepted early intervention (I group, n=40) or not (NI group, n=40), and those for saline group were as control group (n=40). They were assessed with suspension test 14 d and 28 d after born, and the expression of were NB-3 were detected with immunohistochemistry 1 d, 7 d, 14 d, 21 d, 28 d after born. Results The expression of NB-3 was different among these 3 groups, as well as the scores of suspension test (P<0.001). Conclusion Intrauterine infection increases the expression of NB-3 of neonatal rats with brain damage. The early intervention may increase persistently the expression of NB-3, and improve the motor function.

Key words: intrauterine infection, cerebral injury, early intervention, NB-3, neuronal plasticity, rats