Региональная специфика изменений продукции мРНК провоспалительных цитокинов в литий-пилокарпиновой модели височной эпилепсии

Abstract

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most common and severe forms of epilepsy in humans; it is difficult to treat and is leading to the development of comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders. The possible role of glia and the associated neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of this disease is currently under intensive investigation. The aim of the study was to analyze changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines genes interleukin-1β (Il1b) and tumor necrosis factor α (Tnfa) in various brain areas during the latent phase of the lithium-pilocarpine model of TLE. Status epilepticus was induced by injecting lithium chloride and pilocarpine hydrochloride to 7–8-week-old male Wistar rats. Control animals were injected with saline instead of pilocarpine. Experimental groups consisted of animals with short mild seizures and prolong severe convulsions based on the fact that spontaneous recurrent seizures in the chronic phase develop predominantly in rats that had severe long-term seizures after pilocarpine administration. Analysis of Il1b and Tnfa mRNA expression was performed by quantitative RT-PCR in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, temporal, entorhinal and medial prefrontal cortex 7 days after the administration of pilocarpine. The mRNA expression of Il1b but not Tnfa has been shown to be upregulated in the hippocampus of animals with prolonged severe seizures. No changes were observed in the temporal and entorhinal cortex. These data indicate that Il1b is very likely to be involved in epileptogenesis. Thus, the results of our study suggest that interleukin-1 receptors may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of epileptogenesis.