Abstract

 

Recent evidence indicates that the ephrin receptors and ephrin ligands (Eph/ephrin) expression modulates axonal reorganization and synaptic plasticity in stroke recovery. To investigate the effect of task-specific training (TST) on Eph/ephrin expression in the corticospinal tract (CST) after stroke, we compared Eph/ephrin expression in the peri-infarct cortex, pyramid, and spinal cord of the photothrombotic stroke rats treated with or without TST. The TST treatment showed significantly better recovery in the behavioral tests. The significant upregulation of ephrin-A1 and ephrin-A5 observed in activated astrocytes of the CST at 2 weeks post-stroke was decreased by TST. At 5 weeks post-stroke, the elevated ephrin-A5 levels were decreased in the ipsilateral pyramid and spinal cord by TST. GFAP was upregulated concomitantly with the altered ephrin expression after stroke, and the expression of these proteins was attenuated by TST. These data suggest that TST alters the expression of ephrin ligands in the CST after stroke.