title: Valproic acid, but not lamotrigine, suppresses seizure-induced c-fos and c-Jun mRNA expression.
abstract: Seizure-induced activity has been shown to increase the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) c-fos and c-Jun in the CNS. Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) can suppress the induction of a seizure, but it is unknown if AEDs affect the expression of seizure-induced IEGs. We found that valproic acid (VPA), but not lamotrigine (LTG), was capable of suppressing seizure-induced c-fos and c-Jun mRNA expression in rats despite a similar anticonvulsant effect. LTG in some regions of the CNS enhanced seizure-induced IEG expression. These studies indicate that the older AED (VPA), as compared to the newer AED (LTG), can suppress seizure-induced IEG expression. The consequence of this suppression of IEGs following a generalized seizure may be viewed either as a neuroprotective or detrimental effect upon the brain.
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. szot@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szot
authors.forename: Sylvia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Danny D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Gail D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005481:Flurothyl; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014227:Triazines; D014635:Valproic Acid; D005481:Flurothyl; D000077213:Lamotrigine