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Tang Y, Feng B, Wang Y, Sun H, You Y, Yu J, Chen B, Xu C, Ruan Y, Cui S, Hu G, Hou T, Chen Z. Structure-based discovery of CZL80, a caspase-1 inhibitor with therapeutic potential for febrile seizures and later enhanced epileptogenic susceptibility. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:3519-3534. [PMID: 32346861 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Febrile seizures (FS), the most common seizures in childhood and often accompanied by later epileptogenesis, are not well controlled. Inflammatory processes have been implicated in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. However, whether caspase-1 is involved in FS generation and could be a target for the treatment of FS is still unclear. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH By using pharmacological and gene intervention methods in C57BL/6J mice, we assessed the role of caspase-1 in FS generation. We used structural virtual screening against the active site of caspase-1, to screen compounds for druggable and safe low MW inhibitors of caspase-1 in vitro. One compound was chosen to test in vivo for therapeutic potential, using FS models in neonatal mice and epileptogenesis in adult mice. KEY RESULTS In mice, levels of cleaved caspase-1 increased prior to FS onset. Caspase-1-/- mice were resistant to FS and showed lower neuronal excitability than wild-type littermates. Conversely, overexpression of caspase-1 using in utero electroporation increased neuronal excitability and enhanced susceptibility to FS. The structural virtual screening, using molecular docking approaches for the active site of caspase-1 of over 1 million compounds yielded CZL80, a brain-penetrable, low MW inhibitor of caspase-1. In neonatal mice, CZL80 markedly reduced neuronal excitability and incidence of FS generation, and, in adult mice, relieved later enhanced epileptogenic susceptibility. CZL80 was devoid of acute diazepam-like respiratory depression and chronic liver toxicity. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Caspase-1 is essential for FS generation. CZL80 is a promising low MW inhibitor of FS and later enhanced epileptogenic susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangshun Tang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Feng
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huiyong Sun
- Department of Pharmachemistry, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi You
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cenglin Xu
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yeping Ruan
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sunliang Cui
- Department of Pharmachemistry, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gang Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Tingjun Hou
- Department of Pharmachemistry, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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Febrile Seizures and Febrile Seizure Syndromes: An Updated Overview of Old and Current Knowledge. Neurol Res Int 2015; 2015:849341. [PMID: 26697219 PMCID: PMC4677235 DOI: 10.1155/2015/849341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Febrile seizures are the most common paroxysmal episode during childhood, affecting up to one in 10 children. They are a major cause of emergency facility visits and a source of family distress and anxiety. Their etiology and pathophysiological pathways are being understood better over time; however, there is still more to learn. Genetic predisposition is thought to be a major contributor. Febrile seizures have been historically classified as benign; however, many emerging febrile seizure syndromes behave differently. The way in which human knowledge has evolved over the years in regard to febrile seizures has not been dealt with in depth in the current literature, up to our current knowledge. This review serves as a documentary of how scientists have explored febrile seizures, elaborating on the journey of knowledge as far as etiology, clinical features, approach, and treatment strategies are concerned. Although this review cannot cover all clinical aspects related to febrile seizures at the textbook level, we believe it can function as a quick summary of the past and current sources of knowledge for all varieties of febrile seizure types and syndromes.
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Moreira-Filho CA, Bando SY, Bertonha FB, Iamashita P, Silva FN, Costa LDF, Silva AV, Castro LHM, Wen HT. Community structure analysis of transcriptional networks reveals distinct molecular pathways for early- and late-onset temporal lobe epilepsy with childhood febrile seizures. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128174. [PMID: 26011637 PMCID: PMC4444281 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Age at epilepsy onset has a broad impact on brain plasticity and epilepsy pathomechanisms. Prolonged febrile seizures in early childhood (FS) constitute an initial precipitating insult (IPI) commonly associated with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). FS-MTLE patients may have early disease onset, i.e. just after the IPI, in early childhood, or late-onset, ranging from mid-adolescence to early adult life. The mechanisms governing early (E) or late (L) disease onset are largely unknown. In order to unveil the molecular pathways underlying E and L subtypes of FS-MTLE we investigated global gene expression in hippocampal CA3 explants of FS-MTLE patients submitted to hippocampectomy. Gene coexpression networks (GCNs) were obtained for the E and L patient groups. A network-based approach for GCN analysis was employed allowing: i) the visualization and analysis of differentially expressed (DE) and complete (CO) - all valid GO annotated transcripts - GCNs for the E and L groups; ii) the study of interactions between all the system's constituents based on community detection and coarse-grained community structure methods. We found that the E-DE communities with strongest connection weights harbor highly connected genes mainly related to neural excitability and febrile seizures, whereas in L-DE communities these genes are not only involved in network excitability but also playing roles in other epilepsy-related processes. Inversely, in E-CO the strongly connected communities are related to compensatory pathways (seizure inhibition, neuronal survival and responses to stress conditions) while in L-CO these communities harbor several genes related to pro-epileptic effects, seizure-related mechanisms and vulnerability to epilepsy. These results fit the concept, based on fMRI and behavioral studies, that early onset epilepsies, although impacting more severely the hippocampus, are associated to compensatory mechanisms, while in late MTLE development the brain is less able to generate adaptive mechanisms, what has implications for epilepsy management and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Yumi Bando
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Bernardi Bertonha
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Priscila Iamashita
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Luiz Henrique Martins Castro
- Department of Neurology, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Clinical Neurology Division, Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Hung-Tzu Wen
- Epilepsy Surgery Group, Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Fatemi SH, Reutiman TJ, Folsom TD, Rustan OG, Rooney RJ, Thuras PD. Downregulation of GABAA receptor protein subunits α6, β2, δ, ε, γ2, θ, and ρ2 in superior frontal cortex of subjects with autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2014; 44:1833-45. [PMID: 24668190 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2078-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We measured protein and mRNA levels for nine gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor subunits in three brain regions (cerebellum, superior frontal cortex, and parietal cortex) in subjects with autism versus matched controls. We observed changes in mRNA for a number of GABAA and GABAB subunits and overall reduced protein expression for GABAA receptor alpha 6 (GABRα6), GABAA receptor beta 2 (GABRβ2), GABAA receptor delta (GABRδ), GABAA receptor epsilon (GABRε), GABAA receptor gamma 2 (GABRγ2), GABAA receptor theta (GABRθ), and GABAA receptor rho 2 (GABRρ2) in superior frontal cortex from subjects with autism. Our data demonstrate systematic changes in GABAA&B subunit expression in brains of subjects with autism, which may help explain the presence of cognitive abnormalities in subjects with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Hossein Fatemi
- Division of Neuroscience Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St SE, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA,
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Abstract
The epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) and acid-sensitive ion channel (ASIC) branches of the ENaC/degenerin superfamily of cation channels have drawn increasing attention as potential therapeutic targets in a variety of diseases and conditions. Originally thought to be solely expressed in fluid absorptive epithelia and in neurons, it has become apparent that members of this family exhibit nearly ubiquitous expression. Therapeutic opportunities range from hypertension, due to the role of ENaC in maintaining whole body salt and water homeostasis, to anxiety disorders and pain associated with ASIC activity. As a physiologist intrigued by the fundamental mechanics of salt and water transport, it was natural that Dale Benos, to whom this series of reviews is dedicated, should have been at the forefront of research into the amiloride-sensitive sodium channel. The cloning of ENaC and subsequently the ASIC channels has revealed a far wider role for this channel family than was previously imagined. In this review, we will discuss the known and potential roles of ENaC and ASIC subunits in the wide variety of pathologies in which these channels have been implicated. Some of these, such as the role of ENaC in Liddle's syndrome are well established, others less so; however, all are related in that the fundamental defect is due to inappropriate channel activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawar J Qadri
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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McClelland S, Dubé CM, Yang J, Baram TZ. Epileptogenesis after prolonged febrile seizures: mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic opportunities. Neurosci Lett 2011; 497:155-62. [PMID: 21356275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2011] [Accepted: 02/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological and recent prospective analyses of long febrile seizures (FS) and febrile status epilepticus (FSE) support the idea that in some children, such seizures can provoke temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Because of the high prevalence of these seizures, if epilepsy was to arise as their direct consequence, this would constitute a significant clinical problem. Here we discuss these issues, and describe the use of animal models of prolonged FS and of FSE to address the following questions: Are long FS epileptogenic? What governs this epileptogenesis? What are the mechanisms? Are there any predictive biomarkers of the epileptogenic process, and can these be utilized, together with information about the mechanisms of epileptogenesis, for eventual prevention of the TLE that results from long FS and FSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn McClelland
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA
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