ObjectiveTo explore the possible active mechanism of the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) long circulation l iposome (LCL) (bFGF+LCL) on spinal cord traction injury in rats at the level of proteomics. MethodsTwenty Sprague Dawly rats were randomly divided into groups A and B, 10 rats in each group. The models of spinal cord traction injury was established at T12-L3 spines. The rats were not treated in group A, and the rats were treated with bFGF+LCL (20μg/ kg) in group B. At 3 weeks after operation, the rats were sacrificed for harvesting T13-L2 spinal tissue specimens. The protein was extracted and quantified in the spinal tissue firstly. The proteins from spinal tissue were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by mass spectrometry. The different expression profiling was established in each group, and the differentially expressed protein was determined by comparing the level of each spot with gel imaging software and manually. The proteins were identified by nano ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (NanoUPLC-ESI-MS/MS), and the proteins were classified. ResultsThe differentially expressed protein spots were found in 2 groups. Compared with group A, 4 spots were up-regulated and 6 were down-regulated in group B. NanoUPLC-ESI-MS/MS results showed that 18 significant proteins were identified in 26 differentially expressed proteins, including 4 apoptosis-related proteins, 3 nerve signal transduction related proteins, 7 proteins involved in metabolism, 1 unknown function protein, and 3 unnamed proteins. ConclusionThe differentially expressed proteins are found in spinal cord traction injury of rats treated with bFGF+LCL. bFGF+LCL can affect the proteins expression in rats with spinal cord traction injury. The possible active mechanism is that it has protective and repair effects on injured spinal cord by nerve signal transduction, and regulation of nerve cells apoptosis and metabolism.