SLIT and NTRK-like protein-5(SLITRK5) is one of the six members of SLITRK protein family, which is widely expressed in central nervous system (CNS). In brain, SLITRK5 plays important roles in neurite outgrowth, dendritic branching, neuron differentiation, synaptogenesis and signal transmission of neurons. Epilepsy is a common, chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. The pathophysiological mechanism of epilepsy remains unclear. Neuronal apoptosis, abnormal nerve excitatory transmission and synaptic remodeling are thought to be involved in the development of epilepsy.To explore whether there is a potential relationship between SLITRK5 and epilepsy, we investigated the expression and distribution of SLITRK5 in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and a rat model of epilepsy.We collected cerebral cortex samples from patients with drug-refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, and a rat model of epilepsy induced by lithium chloride/pilocarpine was established. The ways of immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence labeling and western blot have been used in our study to research the expression and distribution of SLITRK5 in the temporal lobe epilepsy patients and epilepsy animal model.All of the results have shown that SLITRK5 is mainly localized in the cell cytoplasm of neurons both in patients with TLE and in epilepsy model. In addition, compared with nonepileptic controls, the expression of SLITRK5 was upregulated in the temporal neocortex of TLE patients. And both in the temporal neocortex and hippocampus of pilocarpine-induced epilepsy rats, the expression of SLITRK5 was increased at 24 hours after status epilepticus (SE), with a relatively high level within 30 days, and reached the peak on the 7th day after SE.Our preliminary results revealed that SLITRK5 may have a potential relationship with epilepsy, which maybe a foundation for the further study of the underlying mechanism between SLITRK5 and epilepsy and the therapeutic targets of antiepileptic drugs.We have found that SLITRK5 is widely expressed in the neurons both in patients with TLE and epilepsy rats.In addition, compared with nonepileptic controls, the expression of SLITRK5 was upregulated in the temporal neocortex of TLE patients. And in the brain of epilepsy rats, the expression of SLITRK5 was increased at 24 hours after seizures, with a relatively high level within 30 days, and reached the peak on the 7th day after seizures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.