Objective:To investigate the effects of high mobility group box 1(HMGB1) preconditioning on spinal cord ischemia reper-fusion injury(SCII) in rats. Methods:Various concentrations of HMGB1 were injected into lateral ventricle of male SD rats at 18 h before ischemia. SCII model was completed by clamping the abdominal aorta for 45 min according to modified Zivin. At 6,12,24 h after reperfusion,blood samples were collected to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6) and the spinal cord segment was harvested to detect the activity of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) and expression of inhibitor κ B-α(IκB-α). Meanwhile,functional evaluation on hind limbs was done and pathological change of spinal cord was observed. Results:Preconditioning with HMGB1 significantly improved the hind-limb motor function scores and increased the numbers of normal motor neurons,which was accompanied with reduction of levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum as well as degradation of IκB-α and activity of NF-κB in spinal cord. Conclusions:Preconditioning with HMGB1 protects spinal cord against ischemia-reperfusion injury by at-tenuating inflammatory response.