title: Expression of synaptic vesicle protein 2A in epilepsy-associated brain tumors and in the peritumoral cortex.
abstract: Synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) has been identified as the binding site for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam and is thought to decrease neuronal excitability. Since knockout of SV2A in mice leads to seizures, we hypothesized that a reduction in SV2A expression promotes seizure generation in epilepsy-associated brain tumors. We compared the SV2A expression and distribution in surgically removed tumor tissue (n = 63) and peritumoral cortex (n = 31) of patients with glial and glioneuronal tumors to normal control cortex obtained at autopsy in nonbrain tumor patients (n = 6). Additionally, we compared the SV2A expression and distribution in tumor patients with epilepsy (n = 39) with SV2A expression in tumor patients without epilepsy (n = 24). Immunohistochemistry in control cortex demonstrated strong and diffuse SV2A immunoreactivity (IR) throughout all cortical layers. Similar strong SV2A IR (with the same diffuse distribution pattern) was observed in the peritumoral cortical specimens in both patients with and without epilepsy. Modest SV2A IR was observed within the tumor area. The SV2A-positive cells detected within the tumor area were mainly entrapped neurons. Oligodendrogliomas and glioneuronal tumors displayed variable SV2A neuropil staining. In ganglioglioma (GG), strong SV2A IR was present along the dysplastic neuronal cell borders and processes. In both GG and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors, SV2A IR was occasionally observed within the neuronal perikarya. We found no differences in SV2A expression in the peritumoral cortex between the patients with and without epilepsy, which suggests that the role of SV2A in epileptogenesis in patients with glial tumors is questionable. The distinct pattern of SV2A IR in glioneuronal tumors suggests a redistribution of SV2A.
authors.affiliation: Department Of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. marjolein.degroot@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Sjoukje T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Toering
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boer
authors.forename: Wim G M
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Spliet
authors.forename: Jan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heimans
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aronica
authors.forename: Jaap C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reijneveld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C076414:SV2A protein, human