The aim of the study was to investigate S100β levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of nonambulatory dogs with intervertebral disk disease treated with electroacupuncture: 10 dogs with thoracolumbar disk extrusion graded 3 to 5 (EA group) and 7 dogs without neurologic dysfunction (control group). All dogs regained ambulation. S100β was detected by Western blot analysis where EA group dogs were evaluated at two time points (M1？=？before EA and M2？=？when the dogs return ambulation) and at one time point from control group. In EA group dogs M1-S100β levels were significantly higher than in control group. EA group dogs were divided into subgroups A ( —early motor recovery; days) and B ( —late motor recovery; days). M1-S100β levels were similar between subgroups A and B. However, M2-S100β levels were significantly higher in subgroup B than in subgroup A. An elevated S100β levels were observed in dogs with late motor recovery. S100β may be associated with neuroplasticity following spinal cord injuries with intervertebral disk extrusion. Further studies with larger numbers of subjects and control group with affected dogs are necessary to investigate the relationship between neurotrophic factors and electroacupuncture stimulation. 1. Introduction S100β is neurotrophic protein in the S100 family. This group of proteins is named “S100” due to solubility in 100% saturated ammonium sulfate solution [1] and is expressed only in vertebrates [2]. S100β is a low molecular weight protein (10？kDa) that is produced mainly by astrocytes and exerts paracrine and autocrine effects on neurons and glia [1]. Other calcium-binding proteins similar to S100β can buffer excess Ca+2 in central nervous system (CNS) cells and may aid in prevention of neuronal cell death [3]. S100β plays a role in the development of the brain, stimulates astroglial proliferation and maturation, and is neuroprotective [3]. It also promotes events possibly related to the plasticity of the spinal cord following injury, such as microtubule assembly and stimulation of neuritic outgrowth from the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia [4]. Hence, the presence of astroglial S100β in regions of preserved tissue may be related to neuronal tropism and plasticity in the remaining spinal cord neurons and axons [3]. Despite the traditional use of acupuncture for treatment of different clinical conditions in China, access to research involving Chinese acupuncture is hampered by language constraints and studies involving the use of acupuncture for treatment of spinal cord injuries are hard to come by [5]. Nevertheless,
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