Abstract: Objective To explore initially the role of p38 mitogen activated protein kinases(p38 MAPK) in cerebral ischemic preconditioning.Methods Healthy adult SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control group,sham-operated group,ischemia preconditioning or ischemia tolerance group,peripheral noxious control group,peripheral noxious tolerance group.SDS-PAGE,Western blot and Gel Doc imagine systems were applied to determine the p38 MAPK phosphorylation and protein expression in somatosensory cortex and hippocampus of rat.Results No significant changes of p38 MAPK in phosphorylation level and protein expression were found both in somatosensory cortex and hippocampus after ischemia preconditioning(P>0.05,n=6).Conclusion The development of cerebral ischemia preconditioning of rat might be not involved the phosphorylation and protein expression of p38 MAPK.

Key words: cerebral ischemia preconditioning, p38 mitogen activated protein kinases(p38 MAPK), phosphorylation, protein expression, rats