Project description:Purpose: to evaluate changes in the transcriptome of hippocampal cells during the course of epileptogenesis, from the early events post status epilepticus (SE) to the onset of recurrent spontaneous seizures. Experimental Design: Gene expression profiling was analyzed in hippocampi of rats subjected to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy at different times during the course of epileptogenesis: 3 days post-SE (3D), 7 days post-SE (7D), and immediately (up to 12h) after the first spontaneous seizure (Chronic). All three pilocarpine subgroups had a corresponding age-matched control group (saline-treated rats), from which normal hippocampi samples were obtained at the same experimental time points. Independent microarray hybridizations were carried out for each sample (n = 5, per experimental group) with oligonucleotide microarrays covering 34,000 transcripts representing most of the known and predictive genes of the rat genome (CodeLinkâ¢ Rat Whole Genome Bioarrays, GE Healthcare), following the manufacturerâs protocol. Results: differential expression of almost 1,400 genes was detected during the course of epileptogenesis, from the early events post status epilepticus (SE) to the onset of recurrent spontaneous seizures. Most of these genes are novel and displayed an up-regulation after SE. Noteworthy, a group of 128 genes functioning in neurogenesis, apoptosis, immune response, and intracellular signal transduction was found consistently hyper-expressed throughout epileptogenesis, indicating stable molecular alterations within the hippocampus. Those include modulation of the MAPK, Jak-STAT, PI3K, TGF-beta, and mTOR signaling pathways. Differential expression of genes from the p38 MAPK pathway, mediating inflammation and neurogenesis, was also confirmed by real-time PCR. These findings reveal dynamic molecular changes occurring in the hippocampus that may serve as a starting point for the generation of new hypothesis regarding the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy and for the designing of alternative therapeutic strategies. Keywords: gene expression changes during epileptogenesis. We performed a genome wide analysis of genes differentially expressed during epileptogenesis. Virtually, all possible changes in the rat transcriptome were monitored at distinct time points corresponding to the latent to chronic phase transition of the pilocarpine model of epilepsy, which is probably the most extensively studied chemically inductive model of TLE. Genes identified as being differentially expressed were classified based on their respective biological functions to envisage processes and pathways likely implicated in epileptogenesis, as well as their possible value as targets for therapy. Results were expressed as fold variation, and genes displaying greater than 2-fold changes in transcript abundance and p<0.01 were selected.

Project description:Purpose: to evaluate changes in the transcriptome of hippocampal cells during the course of epileptogenesis, from the early events post status epilepticus (SE) to the onset of recurrent spontaneous seizures. Experimental Design: Gene expression profiling was analyzed in hippocampi of rats subjected to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy at different times during the course of epileptogenesis: 3 days post-SE (3D), 7 days post-SE (7D), and immediately (up to 12h) after the first spontaneous seizure (Chronic). All three pilocarpine subgroups had a corresponding age-matched control group (saline-treated rats), from which normal hippocampi samples were obtained at the same experimental time points. Independent microarray hybridizations were carried out for each sample (n = 5, per experimental group) with oligonucleotide microarrays covering 34,000 transcripts representing most of the known and predictive genes of the rat genome (CodeLink™ Rat Whole Genome Bioarrays, GE Healthcare), following the manufacturer’s protocol. Results: differential expression of almost 1,400 genes was detected during the course of epileptogenesis, from the early events post status epilepticus (SE) to the onset of recurrent spontaneous seizures. Most of these genes are novel and displayed an up-regulation after SE. Noteworthy, a group of 128 genes functioning in neurogenesis, apoptosis, immune response, and intracellular signal transduction was found consistently hyper-expressed throughout epileptogenesis, indicating stable molecular alterations within the hippocampus. Those include modulation of the MAPK, Jak-STAT, PI3K, TGF-beta, and mTOR signaling pathways. Differential expression of genes from the p38 MAPK pathway, mediating inflammation and neurogenesis, was also confirmed by real-time PCR. These findings reveal dynamic molecular changes occurring in the hippocampus that may serve as a starting point for the generation of new hypothesis regarding the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy and for the designing of alternative therapeutic strategies. Keywords: gene expression changes during epileptogenesis.

Project description:Early childhood convulsions have been correlated with hippocampal neuron loss in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Using a "two-hit" rat seizure model, we have shown that animals subjected to kainate (KA)- or hypoxia-induced seizures during early postnatal period showed no cell death, yet sustained more extensive neuronal death after second seizures in adulthood. An early life seizure, without causing overt cellular injury, predisposes the brain to the damaging effect of seizures in later life. Cellular and molecular changes that accompany early seizures and that lead to subsequent epileptogenesis and increased susceptibility to seizure-induced neuronal injury, however, remain poorly understood. We propose to investigate age-specific, time-dependent changes in gene expression that may underlie this priming effect of early-life seizures. We will determine the sequence of gene expression pattern in the hippocampus at various times following KA induced seizures at postnatal day (P) 15. Previous studies have shown that AMPA receptor subtype of glutamate receptors play a crucial role in the age-specific vulnerability and in the long-term epileptogenic effects of perinatal hypoxia seizures. We found that AMPA receptor antagonists block the increased susceptibility caused by early life seizures to later seizures and seizure-induced brain damage. We hypothesize that an alteration of AMPA receptor composition is one of many changes caused by early-life seizures that leads to an increase in Ca2+ permeability, which then results in cascade of downstream events and modifies array of gene expression that promote epileptogenesis and susceptibility to neuronal death in later life. We will examine three time points: 1hr, 72 hr, and 15 days following systemic KA-induced seizures at P15 as we have previously observed structural changes within the hippocampus at these time points. Within an hour of KA seizures, a marked swelling of dendrites, disassembly of dendritic microtubules and glycogen depletion are observed by electron microscopy. Within 5 days, basal dendrites of CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neurons show abnormal spine morphology and decreased branching pattern. 15 days after the seizures, aberrant growth of mossy fibers in the CA3 stratum oriens is observed in animals exposed to KA. Ten hippocampi will be pooled from five animals treated with KA (3mg/kg i.p.) and from five littermate controls injected with PBS. Animals will be decapitated and hippocampi will be rapidly dissected from the brain, flash frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80C until extraction of total RNA, which will be sent to the center. We will provide 4 tissue samples-2 controls and 2 KA, each a pool of five animals - for each time points. Mixing tissues from multiple rats will normalize single nucleotide polymorphisms and tissue heterogeneity.

Project description:Early childhood convulsions have been correlated with hippocampal neuron loss in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Using a "two-hit" rat seizure model, we have shown that animals subjected to kainate (KA)- or hypoxia-induced seizures during early postnatal period showed no cell death, yet sustained more extensive neuronal death after second seizures in adulthood. An early life seizure, without causing overt cellular injury, predisposes the brain to the damaging effect of seizures in later life. Cellular and molecular changes that accompany early seizures and that lead to subsequent epileptogenesis and increased susceptibility to seizure-induced neuronal injury, however, remain poorly understood. We propose to investigate age-specific, time-dependent changes in gene expression that may underlie this priming effect of early-life seizures. We will determine the sequence of gene expression pattern in the hippocampus at various times following KA induced seizures at postnatal day (P) 15. Previous studies have shown that AMPA receptor subtype of glutamate receptors play a crucial role in the age-specific vulnerability and in the long-term epileptogenic effects of perinatal hypoxia seizures. We found that AMPA receptor antagonists block the increased susceptibility caused by early life seizures to later seizures and seizure-induced brain damage. We hypothesize that an alteration of AMPA receptor composition is one of many changes caused by early-life seizures that leads to an increase in Ca2+ permeability, which then results in cascade of downstream events and modifies array of gene expression that promote epileptogenesis and susceptibility to neuronal death in later life. We will examine three time points: 1hr, 72 hr, and 15 days following systemic KA-induced seizures at P15 as we have previously observed structural changes within the hippocampus at these time points. Within an hour of KA seizures, a marked swelling of dendrites, disassembly of dendritic microtubules and glycogen depletion are observed by electron microscopy. Within 5 days, basal dendrites of CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neurons show abnormal spine morphology and decreased branching pattern. 15 days after the seizures, aberrant growth of mossy fibers in the CA3 stratum oriens is observed in animals exposed to KA. Ten hippocampi will be pooled from five animals treated with KA (3mg/kg i.p.) and from five littermate controls injected with PBS. Animals will be decapitated and hippocampi will be rapidly dissected from the brain, flash frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80C until extraction of total RNA, which will be sent to the center. We will provide 4 tissue samples-2 controls and 2 KA, each a pool of five animals - for each time points. Mixing tissues from multiple rats will normalize single nucleotide polymorphisms and tissue heterogeneity. Keywords: time-course

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Hippocampal gene expression profiling in a rat model of posttraumatic epilepsy reveals temporal upregulation of lipid metabolism-related genes

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