title: Neuroactive steroids and GABAA receptor plasticity in the brain of the WAG/Rij rat, a model of absence epilepsy.
abstract: The role of neuroactive steroids and GABA(A) receptors in the generation of spontaneous spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) was investigated in the WAG/Rij rat model of absence epilepsy. The plasma, cerebrocortical, and thalamic concentrations of the progesterone metabolite 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG) were increased in the WAG/Rij rat at 2 months of age compared with those in control (Wistar) rats. In contrast, the brain and peripheral levels of 3alpha,5alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (3alpha,5alpha-TH DOC) did not differ between the two rat strains at this age. At 6 months of age, when absence epilepsy worsens in WAG/Rij rats, the plasma concentration of 3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG remained high whereas that of 3alpha,5alpha-TH DOC had increased, the cerebrocortical levels of both 3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG and 3alpha,5alpha-TH DOC had increased, and the thalamic concentrations of these metabolites had decreased. At 6 months of age the expression of the alpha(4) and delta subunits of the GABA(A) receptor in relay nuclei was increased. Finally, chronic stress induced by social isolation elicited a reduction in the amount of 3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG in the thalamus of 2-month-old WAG/Rij rats that was associated with a reduction in the number and overall duration of SWDs at 6 months of age. Absence epilepsy in the WAG/Rij rat is thus associated with changes in the abundance of neuroactive steroids and in the expression of specific GABA(A) receptor subunits in the thalamus, a brain area key to the pathophysiology of this condition.
authors.affiliation: CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giuseppina
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pisu
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mostallino
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maciocco
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Giovambattista
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sarro
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serra
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics*; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013256:Steroids; C053623:pregnane-20-one; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; C009413:tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D011280:Pregnanolone