Increased methionine-enkephalin levels in genetically epileptic (tg/tg) mice.
Recent experimental data indicate that endogenous brain ligands for the opioid receptors such as enkephalins, beta-endorphin (beta-End) and dynorphin (Dyn) may be involved in both generalized and partial seizures. The "tottering" (tg/tg) mouse provides an electrophysiological representation of generalized spontaneous human epilepsy. These mice exhibit behavioral absence seizures with accompanying spike-wave discharges. Methionine-enkephalin (M-Enk), beta-End and Dyn levels in various regions of brain were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 15-18-week-old tg/tg and control (+/+) mice to elucidate the relation between seizures and the opioid system. beta-End and Dyn levels were similar in tg/tg and +/+ mice. However, M-Enk levels were significantly increased in the striatum, cortex, pons and medulla of the tg/tg mice. Our data suggest that in the tottering mouse model of generalized epilepsy there is an alteration of enkephalinergic pathways and not of the endorphinergic or dynorphinergic pathways.
Patel
V K
VK
Department of Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202-5120.
Abbott
L C
LC
Rattan
A K
AK
Tejwani
G A
GA
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism
D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D004399:Dynorphins