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Hu C, Liu D, Wang H. Col4a2 Mutations Contribute to Infantile Epileptic Spasm Syndrome and Neuroinflammation. Int J Med Sci 2024; 21:1756-1768. [PMID: 39006838 PMCID: PMC11241092 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.97164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
There are more than 70 million people worldwide living with epilepsy, with most experiencing the onset of epilepsy in childhood. Despite the availability of more than 20 anti-seizure medications, approximately 30% of epilepsy patients continue to experience unsatisfactory treatment outcomes. This situation places a heavy burden on patients' families and society. Childhood epilepsy is a significant chronic neurological disease that is closely related to genetics. Col4a2, the gene encoding the α2 chain of type IV collagen, is known to be associated with multiple diseases due to missense mutations. The Col4a2 variant of collagen type IV is associated with various phenotypes, including prenatal and neonatal intracranial hemorrhage, porencephaly, porencephaly with cataracts, focal cortical dysplasia, schizencephaly, strokes in childhood and adolescence, and sporadic delayed hemorrhagic stroke. Although epilepsy is recognized as a clinical manifestation of porencephaly, the specific mechanism of Col4a2-related epileptic phenotypes remains unclear. A total of 8 patients aged 2 years and 2 months to 18 years who were diagnosed with Col4a2-related infantile epileptic spasm syndrome were analyzed. The seizure onset age ranged from 3 to 10 months. Initial EEG results revealed hypsarrhythmia or multiple and multifocal sharp waves, spike waves, sharp slow waves, or spike slow waves. Elevated levels of the cytokines IL-1β (32.23±12.58 pg/ml) and IL-6 (45.12±16.03 pg/ml) were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of these patients without any signs of infection. Following antiseizure treatment, decreased IL-1β and IL-6 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid were noted when seizures were under control. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate the role of Col4a2 mutations in the development of epilepsy. Through the use of immunofluorescence assays, ELISA, and Western blotting, we examined astrocyte activity and the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α after overexpressing an unreported Col4a2 (c.1838G>T) mutant in CTX-TNA cells and primary astrocytes. We found that the levels of the inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were increased in both CTX-TNA cells (ELISA: p = 0.0087, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively) and primary astrocytes (ELISA: p = 0.0275, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the role of the JAK/STAT pathway in Col4a2 mutation-associated epilepsy. Col4a2 mutation stimulated astrocyte activation, increasing iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in both CTX-TNA cells and primary astrocytes. This mutation also activated the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, leading to increased phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3. Treatment with the JAK/STAT inhibitor WP1066 effectively counteracted this effect in primary astrocytes and CTX-TNA cells. To date, the genes who mutations are known to cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are predominantly grouped into six subtypes according to function. Our study revealed that an unreported mutation site Col4a2Mut (c.1838G>T) of which can cause neuroinflammation, may be a type VII DEE-causing gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhui Hu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Children's Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Deying Liu
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Costanza M, Ciotti A, Consonni A, Cipelletti B, Cattalini A, Cagnoli C, Baggi F, de Curtis M, Colciaghi F. CNS autoimmune response in the MAM/pilocarpine rat model of epileptogenic cortical malformation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2319607121. [PMID: 38635635 PMCID: PMC11047071 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319607121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of seizures in epilepsy syndromes associated with malformations of cortical development (MCDs) has traditionally been attributed to intrinsic cortical alterations resulting from abnormal network excitability. However, recent analyses at single-cell resolution of human brain samples from MCD patients have indicated the possible involvement of adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis of these disorders. By exploiting the MethylAzoxyMethanol (MAM)/pilocarpine (MP) rat model of drug-resistant epilepsy associated with MCD, we show here that the occurrence of status epilepticus and subsequent spontaneous recurrent seizures in the malformed, but not in the normal brain, are associated with the outbreak of a destructive autoimmune response with encephalitis-like features, involving components of both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses. The MP brain is characterized by blood-brain barrier dysfunction, marked and persisting CD8+ T cell invasion of the brain parenchyma, meningeal B cell accumulation, and complement-dependent cytotoxicity mediated by antineuronal antibodies. Furthermore, the therapeutic treatment of MP rats with the immunomodulatory drug fingolimod promotes both antiepileptogenic and neuroprotective effects. Collectively, these data show that the MP rat could serve as a translational model of epileptogenic cortical malformations associated with a central nervous system autoimmune response. This work indicates that a preexisting brain maldevelopment predisposes to a secondary autoimmune response, which acts as a precipitating factor for epilepsy and suggests immune intervention as a therapeutic option to be further explored in epileptic syndromes associated with MCDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Costanza
- Neuro-Oncology Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Arianna Ciotti
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Alessandra Consonni
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Barbara Cipelletti
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cattalini
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Cinzia Cagnoli
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Fulvio Baggi
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Marco de Curtis
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
| | - Francesca Colciaghi
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan20133, Italy
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Curatolo P, Scheper M, Emberti Gialloreti L, Specchio N, Aronica E. Is tuberous sclerosis complex-associated autism a preventable and treatable disorder? World J Pediatr 2024; 20:40-53. [PMID: 37878130 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00762-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder caused by inactivating mutations in the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, causing overactivation of the mechanistic (previously referred to as mammalian) target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in fetal life. The mTOR pathway plays a crucial role in several brain processes leading to TSC-related epilepsy, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Pre-natal or early post-natal diagnosis of TSC is now possible in a growing number of pre-symptomatic infants. DATA SOURCES We searched PubMed for peer-reviewed publications published between January 2010 and April 2023 with the terms "tuberous sclerosis", "autism", or "autism spectrum disorder"," animal models", "preclinical studies", "neurobiology", and "treatment". RESULTS Prospective studies have highlighted that developmental trajectories in TSC infants who were later diagnosed with ASD already show motor, visual and social communication skills in the first year of life delays. Reliable genetic, cellular, electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers can identify pre-symptomatic TSC infants at high risk for having autism and epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS Preventing epilepsy or improving therapy for seizures associated with prompt and tailored treatment strategies for autism in a sensitive developmental time window could have the potential to mitigate autistic symptoms in infants with TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Mirte Scheper
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Clinical and Experimental Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Schartz ND, Aroor A, Li Y, Pinzón-Hoyos N, Brewster AL. Mice deficient in complement C3 are protected against recognition memory deficits and astrogliosis induced by status epilepticus. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1265944. [PMID: 38035266 PMCID: PMC10682718 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1265944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Status epilepticus (SE) can significantly increase the risk of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and cognitive comorbidities. A potential candidate mechanism underlying memory defects in epilepsy may be the immune complement system. The complement cascade, part of the innate immune system, modulates inflammatory and phagocytosis signaling, and has been shown to contribute to learning and memory dysfunctions in neurodegenerative disorders. We previously reported that complement C3 is elevated in brain biopsies from human drug-resistant epilepsy and in experimental rodent models. We also found that SE-induced increases in hippocampal C3 levels paralleled the development of hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory deficits in rats. Thus, we hypothesized that SE-induced C3 activation contributes to this pathophysiology in a mouse model of SE and acquired TLE. Methods In this study C3 knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) mice were subjected to one hour of pilocarpine-induced SE or sham conditions (control; C). Following a latent period of two weeks, recognition memory was assessed utilizing the novel object recognition (NOR) test. Western blotting was utilized to determine the protein levels of C3 in hippocampal lysates. In addition, we assessed the protein levels and distribution of the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Results In the NOR test, control WT + C or C3 KO + C mice spent significantly more time exploring the novel object compared to the familiar object. In contrast, WT+SE mice did not show preference for either object, indicating a memory defect. This deficit was prevented in C3 KO + SE mice, which performed similarly to controls. In addition, we found that SE triggered significant increases in the protein levels of GFAP in hippocampi of WT mice but not in C3 KO mice. Discussion These findings suggest that ablation of C3 prevents SE-induced recognition memory deficits and that a C3-astrocyte interplay may play a role. Therefore, it is possible that enhanced C3 signaling contributes to SE-associated cognitive decline during epileptogenesis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating cognitive comorbidities in acquired TLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole D. Schartz
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Alisha Aroor
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Yibo Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Nicole Pinzón-Hoyos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Amy L. Brewster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
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Zhang L, Huang J, Dai L, Zhu G, Yang XL, He Z, Li YH, Yang H, Zhang CQ, Shen KF, Liang P. Expression profiles of α-synuclein in cortical lesions of patients with FCD IIb and TSC, and FCD rats. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1255097. [PMID: 38020594 PMCID: PMC10662349 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1255097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) IIb and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are common causes of drug-resistant epilepsy in children. However, the etiologies related to the development of FCD IIb and TSC are not fully understood. α-synuclein (α-syn) is a member of synucleins family that plays crucial roles in modulating synaptic transmission in central nervous system. Here, we explored the expression profiles and potential pathogenic functions of α-syn in cortical lesions of epileptic patients with FCD IIb and TSC. Methods Surgical specimens from epileptic patients with FCD IIb and TSC, as well as FCD rats generated by in utero X-ray-radiation were adopted in this study and studied with immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and co-immunoprecipitation etc. molecular biological techniques. Result Our results showed that α-syn expression was reduced in FCD IIb and TSC lesions. Specifically, α-syn protein was intensely expressed in dysplastic neurons (DNs) and balloon cells (BCs) in FCD IIb lesions, whereas was barely detected in DNs and giant cells (GCs) of TSC lesions. Additionally, p-α-syn, the aggregated form of α-syn, was detected in DNs, BCs, GCs, and glia-like cells of FCD IIb and TSC lesions. We previous showed that the function of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) was enhanced in FCD rats generated by X-ray-radiation. Here, we found the interaction between α-syn and NMDAR subunits NMDAR2A, NMDAR2B were augmented in cortical lesions of FCD patients and FCD rats. Conclusion These results suggested a potential role of α-syn in the pathogenesis of FCD IIb and TSC by interfering with NMDAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Dai
- Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guang Yang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| | - Gang Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zeng He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu-Hong Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guang Yang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| | - Chun-Qing Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kai-Feng Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Research Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
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Purnell BS, Alves M, Boison D. Astrocyte-neuron circuits in epilepsy. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 179:106058. [PMID: 36868484 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The epilepsies are a diverse spectrum of disease states characterized by spontaneous seizures and associated comorbidities. Neuron-focused perspectives have yielded an array of widely used anti-seizure medications and are able to explain some, but not all, of the imbalance of excitation and inhibition which manifests itself as spontaneous seizures. Furthermore, the rate of pharmacoresistant epilepsy remains high despite the regular approval of novel anti-seizure medications. Gaining a more complete understanding of the processes that turn a healthy brain into an epileptic brain (epileptogenesis) as well as the processes which generate individual seizures (ictogenesis) may necessitate broadening our focus to other cell types. As will be detailed in this review, astrocytes augment neuronal activity at the level of individual neurons in the form of gliotransmission and the tripartite synapse. Under normal conditions, astrocytes are essential to the maintenance of blood-brain barrier integrity and remediation of inflammation and oxidative stress, but in epilepsy these functions are impaired. Epilepsy results in disruptions in the way astrocytes relate to each other by gap junctions which has important implications for ion and water homeostasis. In their activated state, astrocytes contribute to imbalances in neuronal excitability due to their decreased capacity to take up and metabolize glutamate and an increased capacity to metabolize adenosine. Furthermore, due to their increased adenosine metabolism, activated astrocytes may contribute to DNA hypermethylation and other epigenetic changes that underly epileptogenesis. Lastly, we will explore the potential explanatory power of these changes in astrocyte function in detail in the specific context of the comorbid occurrence of epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease and the disruption in sleep-wake regulation associated with both conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benton S Purnell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
| | - Mariana Alves
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America; Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Detlev Boison
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America; Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America.
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Rossini L, De Santis D, Cecchini E, Cagnoli C, Maderna E, Cartelli D, Morgan BP, Torvell M, Spreafico R, di Giacomo R, Tassi L, de Curtis M, Garbelli R. Dendritic spine loss in epileptogenic Type II focal cortical dysplasia: Role of enhanced classical complement pathway activation. Brain Pathol 2022; 33:e13141. [PMID: 36564349 PMCID: PMC10154370 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are the postsynaptic sites for most excitatory glutamatergic synapses. We previously demonstrated a severe spine loss and synaptic reorganization in human neocortices presenting Type II focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), a developmental malformation and frequent cause of drug-resistant focal epilepsy. We extend the findings, investigating the potential role of complement components C1q and C3 in synaptic pruning imbalance. Data from Type II FCD were compared with those obtained in focal epilepsies with different etiologies. Neocortical tissues were collected from 20 subjects, mainly adults with a mean age at surgery of 31 years, admitted to epilepsy surgery with a neuropathological diagnosis of: cryptogenic, temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis, and Type IIa/b FCD. Dendritic spine density quantitation, evaluated in a previous paper using Golgi impregnation, was available in a subgroup. Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, electron microscopy, and organotypic cultures were utilized to study complement/microglial activation patterns. FCD Type II samples presenting dendritic spine loss were characterized by an activation of the classical complement pathway and microglial reactivity. In the same samples, a close relationship between microglial cells and dendritic segments/synapses was found. These features were consistently observed in Type IIb FCD and in 1 of 3 Type IIa cases. In other patient groups and in perilesional areas outside the dysplasia, not presenting spine loss, these features were not observed. In vitro treatment with complement proteins of organotypic slices of cortical tissue with no sign of FCD induced a reduction in dendritic spine density. These data suggest that dysregulation of the complement system plays a role in microglia-mediated spine loss. This mechanism, known to be involved in the removal of redundant synapses during development, is likely reactivated in Type II FCD, particularly in Type IIb; local treatment with anticomplement drugs could in principle modify the course of disease in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rossini
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Dalia De Santis
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Erica Cecchini
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinzia Cagnoli
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- Division of Neurology V and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Cartelli
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta", Milan, Italy
| | | | - Megan Torvell
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Roberto Spreafico
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta di Giacomo
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Tassi
- "Claudio Munari" Epilepsy Surgery Center, GOM Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco de Curtis
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Rita Garbelli
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Vezzani A, Ravizza T, Bedner P, Aronica E, Steinhäuser C, Boison D. Astrocytes in the initiation and progression of epilepsy. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:707-722. [PMID: 36280704 PMCID: PMC10368155 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00727-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy affects ~65 million people worldwide. First-line treatment options include >20 antiseizure medications, but seizure control is not achieved in approximately one-third of patients. Antiseizure medications act primarily on neurons and can provide symptomatic control of seizures, but do not alter the onset and progression of epilepsy and can cause serious adverse effects. Therefore, medications with new cellular and molecular targets and mechanisms of action are needed. Accumulating evidence indicates that astrocytes are crucial to the pathophysiological mechanisms of epilepsy, raising the possibility that these cells could be novel therapeutic targets. In this Review, we discuss how dysregulation of key astrocyte functions - gliotransmission, cell metabolism and immune function - contribute to the development and progression of hyperexcitability in epilepsy. We consider strategies to mitigate astrocyte dysfunction in each of these areas, and provide an overview of how astrocyte activation states can be monitored in vivo not only to assess their contribution to disease but also to identify markers of disease processes and treatment effects. Improved understanding of the roles of astrocytes in epilepsy has the potential to lead to novel therapies to prevent the initiation and progression of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Vezzani
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
| | - Teresa Ravizza
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Peter Bedner
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, Netherlands
| | - Christian Steinhäuser
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Detlev Boison
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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