title: Spontaneous intracellular calcium oscillations in cortical astrocytes from a patient with intractable childhood epilepsy (Rasmussen's encephalitis).
abstract: Many studies have demonstrated that astrocytes respond with fluctuations in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and membrane potential following the application of a number of ligands. Moreover, calcium (Ca2+) waves that spread through astrocytic syncitia have been described in numerous reports. We had the rare opportunity to study Ca2+ responses in astrocytes obtained from a patient diagnosed with Rasmussen's encephalitis, a rare form of intractable epilepsy. Using the ratiometric fluorescent indicator fura-2, we observed large spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations. The mean time between initial rise in [Ca2+]i and the return to baseline was 5.1 +/- 0.19 minutes (SEM; n = 201) and [Ca2+]i increased to a mean level of 271 +/- 8 nM (SEM; n = 201) from a baseline of 136 +/- 6 nM (SEM; n = 201). Removal of Ca2+ from the perfusion solution combined with the addition of the Ca2+ chelator EGTA (2 mM) completely but reversibly eliminated all oscillations suggesting the fluctuations were dependent on Ca2+ flux across the membrane. The percentage of cells undergoing spontaneous changes in [Ca2+]i decreased over time in culture. At 10-11 days postsurgery, approximately 70% of the cells were exhibiting this behavior, and by day 23 transients were no longer observed. We did not observe comparable spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations in rat cortical astrocytes. The potential that the spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations observed may be a unique feature of epileptic tissues is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sontheimer
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium