〔Abstract〕 Objective To study the effect of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor(MANF) on the proliferation and apoptosis of A2 type reactive astrocytes(RAS) in the spinal cord. Methods The spinal cord of SD rats was taken to separate and culture astrocytes, and the cells were identified by immunofluorescence technology. Interleukin-1β(IL-1β) was used to stimulate astrocytes to prepare A2 type RAS as the experimental group; and the untreated group was used as a blank control group. Immunofluorescence was used to identify A2 type RAS. The prepared cells were divided into control group and MANF group. The cells were treated with different concentrations(0, 0.5, 1, 2 μg/ml) of MANF protein and different action times(12, 24, 36,48 h), and CCK-8 method was used to detectthe absorbance at 450 nm. The cells were treated with a certain concentration of MANF protein(1 μg/ml) and divided into the control group and the MANF group. The EdU method was used to verify the effect on the proliferation of A2 RAS. The TUNEL method was used to verify the effect on A2 RAS apoptosis. Results Immunofluorescence results showed that IL-1β could stimulate the transformation of astrocytes to type A2; The results of CCK-8 and EdU proliferation experiments showed that after MANF protein intervention, the cell proliferation ability was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05);TUNEL apoptosis experiment showed that after the intervention of MANF protein, apoptotic cells significantly reduced(P<0.05). Conclusion MANF protein can promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of A2 RAS.