Objective        To determine the expression of Nogo-A signaling pathway in the temporal lobe from mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) patients and investigate its potential role in the formation of abnormal neural networks after epileptic seizure.        Methods        Twelve tissue samples of temporal lobe from diagnosed intractable MTLE patients during operation and 12 samples of normal temporal lobe due to traumatic wound debridement or tumor craniotomy were collected after informed consent signed and approval of t

he Ethics Committee of our hospital in our department from June 2011 to June 2012. The expression of Nogo-A

NgR

P75(NTR)

Lingo-1 and Troy was detected by RT-PCR

Western blotting and immunohistochemical assay.       Results        There were such pathological changes in the temporal lobe cortex from MTLE patients as neuron loss

disarranged order

neuron polarity loss

and gliosis. The expression of Nogo-A at mRNA and protein levels in MTLE patients was significantly down-regulated (

P

0.01)

while that of NgR was significantly up-regulated (

P

0.01) when normal individuals. The Nogo-A protein expression was significantly higher in the neurons (

P

0.01)

but significantly mild in glial cells (

P

0.01). NgR

P75(NTR)

Troy and Lingo-1 proteins were mainly expressed in the neurons

which were significantly up-regulated (

P

0.05

P

0.01) except Lingo-1 down-regulated though not significantly (

P

0.05).       Conclusion        The expression of Nogo-A and its downstream signaling pathway is changed in the MTLE patients’ temporal lobe cortex

suggesting that it might be involved in the formation of abnormal neuronal networks.