Upregulated expression of postsynaptic density-93 and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors subunits 2B mRNA in temporal lobe tissue of epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of PSD-93 mRNA and NR2B mRNA in the brain tissue from the patients with epilepsy so as to explore the possible mechanisms of the pathogenesis of the epilepsy.


METHODS
Fifty-six patients with epilepsy were divided into intractable epilepsy (IE) and non-intractable epilepsy (NIE) groups. cDNA microarrays prepared from the brain tissues obtained from these two groups were scanned and comparison to those from the non-epileptogenic control (C) was made. Expression level of PSD-93mRNA and NR2BmRNA were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (GAPDH gene, internal control). Expression ratio (target gene/GAPDH) was used to evaluate each gene relative expression level.


RESULTS
The cDNA microarray analysis showed that the expression of PSD-93 mRNA related to the function of NMDAR-NO signal transduction pathway was significantly higher in epilepsy patients than those in the controlled group. The results of RT-PCR were consistent with those of the cDNA microarrays. The relative expression ratio of PSD-93 in patients with non-epileptogenic control, NIE, and IE was 0.159, 0.368, and 0.341, respectively. Correspondingly, that of NR2B was 0.198, 0.738, and 0.903, respectively. The expressions of PSD-93 and NR2B in the NIE and IE were significantly higher than those of control, respectively (P<0.05). However, there was no significantly difference the expression of PSD-93 between NIE and IE. (P>0.05), neither do that of NR2B (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The upregulated expressions of PSD-93 mRNA and NR2BmRNA may be involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy.
Liu
Feng-Ying
FY
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1You-yi Road, Yu-zhong District, Chongqing 400016, China. liufycq@yahoo.com.cn
Wang
Xue-Feng
XF
Li
Ming-Wei
MW
Li
Jin-Mei
JM
Xi
Zhi-Qin
ZQ
Luan
Guo-Ming
GM
Zhang
Jian-Guo
JG
Wang
Yu-Ping
YP
Sun
Ji-Jun
JJ
Li
Yun-Lin
YL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D051528:Guanylate Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015854:Up-Regulation
C501444:DLG4 protein, human; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C496468:DLG2 protein, human; D051528:Guanylate Kinases