title: Neural ECM and epilepsy.
abstract: Currently, there are about 20 antiepileptic drugs on market. Still, seizures in about 30% of patients with epilepsy are not adequately controlled, or the drugs cause quality-of-life-compromising adverse events. Importantly, there are no treatments to combat epileptogenesis, a process that leads to the development of epilepsy and its progression. To fill the gaps in the treatment of epilepsy, there is an urgent need for identification of novel treatment targets. Data emerging over the recent years have shown that different components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) contribute to many components of tissue reorganization during epileptogenesis and the ECM is also a major regulator of synaptic excitability. Here, we review the role of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor interactome, matrix metalloproteinases, tenascin-R, and LGI1 in epileptogenesis and ictogenesis. Moreover, the role of the ECM in epilepsy-related comorbidities is reviewed. As there is active development of new imaging methods, we also summarize the data available on imaging of the ECM in epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Department of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. Electronic address: asla.pitkanen@uef.fi.
authors.forename: Asla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitkänen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Xavier E
authors.initials: XE
authors.lastname: Ndode-Ekane
authors.affiliation: The Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Łukasiuk
authors.affiliation: The Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wilczynski
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neuroplasticity Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dityatev
authors.affiliation: UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, UK.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chabrol
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Neuroscience, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dedeurwaerdere
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Neuroscience, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Naiara
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator
keywords: LGI1; autism; epileptogenesis; heparan sulfate proteoglycan; imaging; matrix metalloproteinase; tenascin; urokinase