The effects of topiramate on caspase-3 expression in hippocampus of basolateral amygdala (BLA) electrical kindled epilepsy rat.
Caspase-3 expression was determined in the hippocampus of electrically kindled rats with and without topiramate treatment. Bipolar electrotrodes were implanted for chronic stimulation of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) to achieve a kindled state. Seizure and behavioral responses were observed, and video-electroencephalograms were recorded during and after kindling. After topiramate treatment (80 mg/kg, p.o.), the hippocampi were extracted and caspase-3 mRNA analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity was determined with immunohistochemical staining. Topiramate treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the mean duration of seizures from 52 s in kindled rats to 13 s. The after-discharge duration was significantly decreased by 70% after topiramate treatment. Significant upregulations of both caspase-3 mRNA and caspase-3 immunoreactivity were observed in the kindled rats. These kindling-mediated increases in caspase-3 were prevented by topiramate treatment, and these levels were not different from those of sham-operated controls. In BLA-kindled rats, mRNA and immunoreactivity for caspase-3 were increased. Treatment with topiramate prevented the kindling-associated increases in caspase-3 as well as the increases in seizure duration and after-discharge duration. These data suggest that topiramate may have a neuroprotective role in addition to its action as an anticonvulsant.
Chen
Xuqin
X
Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No.303, Jingde Road, Suzhou, 215003, China.
Bao
Guanshui
G
Hua
Ying
Y
Li
Yan
Y
Wang
Zhedong
Z
Zhang
Xueguang
X
D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077236:Topiramate
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D053148:Caspase 3