Objectives　To investigate the expression of glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), CCAAT/enhancer binding
protein homologous protein (CHOP) and cysteine asparate protease-12 (caspase-12) and neuronal apoptosis in the brain of
zebrafish larvae after hypoxia reperfusion, and the neuroprotective effect of taurine. Methods  Five day old post-fertilization zebrafish
 larvae were randomly assigned into 3 groups, control group, hypoxia reperfusion group (model group) and taurine group, and the taurine group was further divided into 3 subgroups according to different concentrations (1 mmol/L, 5 mmol/L, 10 mmol/L) with 100 zebrafish larvae each. The behavior, recovery time and median survival time of those zebrafish larvae after hypoxia with 1h reperfusion were observed and recorded. The pathological changes and apoptosis of neurons were detected by Nissl staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling. The expression of GRP78, CHOP and caspase-12 in the brain of zebrafish larvae were detected by Western blot. Results  Compared with the model group, the recovery time was shortened, the median survival time was extended, the Nissl stained neurons was increased and the apoptotic neurons were
decreased in the taurine groups. GRP78, CHOP and caspase-12 were expressed in model group and taurine group. The expression of GRP78, CHOP and caspase-12 was much lower in taurine group than in model group. Conclusions  Hypoxia reperfusion may induce endoplasmic reticulum stress and taurine may be neuroprotective against hypoxia reperfusion by down-regulating GRP78, CHOP and caspase-12.