title: RNA editing at the Q/R site for the glutamate receptor subunits GLUR2, GLUR5, and GLUR6 in hippocampus and temporal cortex from epileptic patients.
abstract: Posttranscriptional editing of mRNA is a phenomenon that generates molecular heterogeneity and functional variety. With the intention to test if RNA editing plays a role in pathological processes, which contribute to seizure maintenance, we examined the ratio of the unedited (Q) to edited (R) form of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 and kainate receptor subunits GluR5 and GluR6 in the hippocampus and temporal cerebral cortex, both excised from patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsies. We compared the data with samples from nonepileptic human control tissue (autopsy tissue). The ratio of Q/R editing was analyzed by means of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction followed by a restriction enzyme assay. We found that the editing efficiency for the kainate receptor subunits GluR5 and GluR6 was significantly higher in temporal cortex than in normal controls. The alteration in GluR5 and GluR6 mRNA editing in the neocortical tissue may reflect an adaptive reaction of ongoing seizure activity to prevent excessive Ca(2+) influx.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University Münster, Robert-Koch-Strasse 27a, Münster, 48149, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kortenbruck
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Speckmann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Musshoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000235:genetics*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017393:RNA Editing; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000235:genetics*; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor
chemical_list: D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor; C104722:glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2