Our previous data demonstrated that PKCα expression in the ischemic brain microvessels was significantly increased at 12 h, 48 h and 7d after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats, and the up-regulated expression of PKCα might be closely associated with the down-regulated expression of occludin and ZO-1 caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury [13]. This evidence concerns the gene TJP1 and ischemia.