ABSTRACT. We investigated protein expression in the medullary visceral zone (MVZ) of rats with multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) to discuss the possible regulatory mechanism of the MVZ in the course of SAHinduced MODS. A SAH-induced MODS model was established in rats by injecting arterial blood into the Willis' circle. Protein expression in the MVZ was analyzed by immunohistochemistry assay. Protein expression in the MVZ peaked 24-36 h after SAH, and was significantly higher than in the control and sham operation groups. Organs at each time point exhibited inflammatory injuries to varying degrees after SAH, which reached a maximum at 24-36 h. Incidences of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and MODS were 100 and 71.67%, respectively, after SAH. There is a consistency between MVZ protein expression and inflammatory changes in each organ after SAH. This 8840 L.H. Sun et al. ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (3): 8839-8846 (2015) prompts the suggestion that the MVZ may be one of the direct regulative centers in SAH-induced MODS, and may be involved in the functional regulation of the surrounding organs after SAH.