Expressions of glutathione S-transferase alpha, mu, and pi in brains of medically intractable epileptic patients.
BACKGROUND
Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play an important role in metabolizing anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) in liver. Expressions of GSTs in brain, which may result in poor efficacy of AEDs, have not been well studied. Using clinical cortex specimen from 32 intractable epileptic subjects and 8 non-epileptic controls, the present study investigated the correlation between GSTs and intractable epilepsy.


RESULTS
Three different GST isoforms (alpha, mu, and pi) were detected with immunohistochemistry. GST-alpha expression was not seen in any cortex specimens. Sixty three percent (63%) of control and 53% of intractible epileptic specimens showed GST-mu immunoreactivity. No significant difference in intensity of GST-mu staining was observed between these two groups. GST-pi expression was found in endothelial cells and glial cells/astrocytes. Fifty percent (50%) of the control patients and 66% of the epileptic patients were GST-pi positive. The grading of epileptic patients was significantly higher than that of control patients (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
High levels of GST-pi in endothelial cells and glial cells/astrocyte correlate to medical intractable epilepsy, suggesting that GST-pi contributes to resistance to AED treatment.
Shang
Wei
W
Department of Neurology, the Second Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, PR China. wshang85@yahoo.com.cn
Liu
Wei-Hong
WH
Zhao
Xiu-He
XH
Sun
Qin-Jian
QJ
Bi
Jian-Zhong
JZ
Chi
Zhao-Fu
ZF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi / Q000378:metabolism*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007527:Isoenzymes; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C119995:glutathione S-transferase alpha