Calretinin immunoreactivity in focal cortical dysplasias and in non-malformed epileptic cortex.
Focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) represent a prominent cause of pharmacologically intractable epilepsy. In FCD, the decrease of parvalbumin immunoreactive (PV+) inhibitory interneurons has been repeatedly documented. Here, we wanted to show whether another interneuronal population, the calretinin immunoreactive (CR+) neurons, exhibits any change in human FCD. We also investigated samples of morphologically normal temporal neocortex resected together with sclerotic hippocampus (nHSTN), where decrease of PV+ interneurons was previously documented as well. Brain tissue from 24 patients surgically treated for pharmacoresistant epilepsy was examined. Calretinin immunoreactivity was qualitatively evaluated and the density of CR+ neuronal profiles was quantified. As a control, post-mortem acquired neocortical samples of nine patients without any brain affecting disease were used. CR+ neurons were located predominantly in superficial cortical layers both in controls and pathological samples. Similarly, the morphology of CR+ neurons was unaffected in pathological samples. The overall density of CR+ neurons was significantly decreased in FCD type I (to approximately 70% of control values) and even more in FCD type II (to approximately 50% of controls). In nHSTN, no change compared to controls was found in CR+ neuronal density. Our results may contribute to the better understanding of the role of individual interneuronal populations in epileptogenesis.
Department of Anatomy, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. filipbarinka@yahoo.co.uk
Filip
F
Barinka
Rastislav
R
Druga
Petr
P
Marusic
Pavel
P
Krsek
Josef
J
Zamecnik
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D064032:Calbindin 2; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D054220:Malformations of Cortical Development / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
C576764:CALB2 protein, human; D064032:Calbindin 2; D010320:Parvalbumins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18