title: Increased expression of Notch1 in temporal lobe epilepsy: animal models and clinical evidence.
abstract: Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with astrogliosis. Notch1 signaling can induce astrogliosis in glioma. However, it remains unknown whether Notch1 signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. This study investigated the presence of Notch1, hairy and enhancer of split-1, and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the temporal neocortex and hippocampus of lithium-pilocarpine-treated rats. The presence of Notch1 and hairy and enhancer of split-1 was also explored in brain tissues of patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Quantitative electroencephalogram analysis and behavioral observations were used as auxiliary measures. Results revealed that the presence of Notch1, hairy and enhancer of split-1, and glial fibrillary acidic protein were enhanced in status epilepticus and vehicle-treated spontaneous recurrent seizures rats, but remain unchanged in the following groups: control, absence of either status epilepticus or spontaneous recurrent seizures, and zileuton-treated spontaneous recurrent seizures. Compared with patient control cases, the presences of Notch1 and hairy and enhancer of split-1 were upregulated in the temporal neocortex of patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Therefore, these results suggest that Notch1 signaling may play an important role in the onset of temporal lobe epilepsy via astrogliosis. Furthermore, zileuton may be a potential therapeutic strategy for temporal lobe epilepsy by blocking Notch1 signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xijin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
keywords: LiCl-pilocarpine; Notch1; astrogliosis; brain injury; epilepsy; glial fibrillary acidic protein; hairy and enhancer of split-1; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; temporal lobe epilepsy; the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province; zileuton