title: Eicosanoid levels in the neocortex of drug-resistant epileptic patients submitted to epilepsy surgery.
abstract: There is an increasing body of evidence implicating eicosanoids (arachidonic acid metabolites) in the experimental generation of epileptic seizures and the development of epilepsy. Our purpose was to measure the synthesis of eicosanoids from the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways in human brain neocortex tissue samples obtained from epileptic patients, and to compare them with non-epileptic control subjects. Epileptic neocortex specimens demonstrated a significant increase (P<0.001) in the levels of three eicosanoids derived from the cyclooxygenase pathway: Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), Thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)), and Prostacyclin (PGI(2)), compared to controls. In the epileptic samples the level of TXA(2) was twice as much the levels of PGI(2), while in the control samples the levels of PGI(2) were slightly higher than TXA(2). Conversely, there were no detectable levels of eicosanoids derived from the lipoxygenase pathway: Leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) and Leukotriene C(4) (LTC(4)). The lack of leukotrienes synthesis illustrates that COX pathway is dominant in neocortex of epileptic patients. Our human data are consistent with the results obtained in experimental animal models of epilepsy. The important increase in PGE(2) and TXA(2) suggests that selective inhibition of prostanoid synthesis or blockage of prostanoid receptors might provide novel antiepileptic strategies in human epilepsy.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Clínic of the University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. jrumia@clinic.ub.es
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Rumià
authors: Frederic
authors: F
authors: Marmol
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Sanchez
authors: Mar
authors: M
authors: Carreño
authors: Núria
authors: N
authors: Bargalló
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Boget
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Pintor
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Setoain
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Bailles
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Donaire
authors: Enric
authors: E
authors: Ferrer
authors: Pere
authors: P
authors: Puig-Parellada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019579:Neocortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015777:Eicosanoids