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Lu T, Chen X, Zhang Q, Shang K, Yang X, Xiang W. Vitamin D Relieves Epilepsy Symptoms and Neuroinflammation in Juvenile Mice by Activating the mTOR Signaling Pathway via RAF1: Insights from Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Studies. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:2379-2392. [PMID: 38837094 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-024-04176-y] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, and the exploration of potential therapeutic drugs for its treatment is still ongoing. Vitamin D has emerged as a promising treatment due to its potential neuroprotective effects and anti-epileptic properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin D on epilepsy and neuroinflammation in juvenile mice using network pharmacology and molecular docking, with a focus on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Experimental mouse models of epilepsy were established through intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine, and in vitro injury models of hippocampal neurons were induced by glutamate (Glu) stimulation. The anti-epileptic effects of vitamin D were evaluated both in vivo and in vitro. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis were used to identify potential targets and regulatory pathways of vitamin D in epilepsy. The involvement of the mTOR signaling pathway in the regulation of mouse epilepsy by vitamin D was validated using rapamycin (RAPA). The levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Gene and protein expressions were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to analyze the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. In in vivo experiments, vitamin D reduced the Racine scores of epileptic mice, prolonged the latency of epilepsy, and inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the hippocampus. Furthermore, network pharmacology analysis identified RAF1 as a potential target of vitamin D in epilepsy, which was further confirmed by molecular docking analysis. Additionally, the mTOR signaling pathway was found to be involved in the regulation of mouse epilepsy by vitamin D. In in vitro experiments, Glu stimulation upregulated the expressions of RAF1 and LC3II/LC3I, inhibited mTOR phosphorylation, and induced neuronal apoptosis. Mechanistically, vitamin D activated the mTOR signaling pathway and alleviated mouse epilepsy via RAF1, while the use of the pathway inhibitor RAPA reversed this effect. Vitamin D alleviated epilepsy symptoms and neuroinflammation in juvenile mice by activating the mTOR signaling pathway via RAF1. These findings provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-epileptic effects of vitamin D and further supported its use as an adjunctive therapy for existing anti-epileptic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Lu
- School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
- Department of Neonatology, Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Haikou, 570203, China
| | - Xiuling Chen
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical School Central South University, Haikou, 570208, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, 570312, China
| | - Kun Shang
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science, Sanya, 572000, China
| | - Xiaogui Yang
- Department of Neonatology, Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Haikou, 570203, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China.
- Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570312, China.
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570216, China.
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Ravizza T, Scheper M, Di Sapia R, Gorter J, Aronica E, Vezzani A. mTOR and neuroinflammation in epilepsy: implications for disease progression and treatment. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:334-350. [PMID: 38531962 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00805-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy remains a major health concern as anti-seizure medications frequently fail, and there is currently no treatment to stop or prevent epileptogenesis, the process underlying the onset and progression of epilepsy. The identification of the pathological processes underlying epileptogenesis is instrumental to the development of drugs that may prevent the generation of seizures or control pharmaco-resistant seizures, which affect about 30% of patients. mTOR signalling and neuroinflammation have been recognized as critical pathways that are activated in brain cells in epilepsy. They represent a potential node of biological convergence in structural epilepsies with either a genetic or an acquired aetiology. Interventional studies in animal models and clinical studies give strong support to the involvement of each pathway in epilepsy. In this Review, we focus on available knowledge about the pathophysiological features of mTOR signalling and the neuroinflammatory brain response, and their interactions, in epilepsy. We discuss mitigation strategies for each pathway that display therapeutic effects in experimental and clinical epilepsy. A deeper understanding of these interconnected molecular cascades could enhance our strategies for managing epilepsy. This could pave the way for new treatments to fill the gaps in the development of preventative or disease-modifying drugs, thus overcoming the limitations of current symptomatic medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Ravizza
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Mirte Scheper
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rossella Di Sapia
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Jan Gorter
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, The Netherlands.
| | - Annamaria Vezzani
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
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Pease M, Gupta K, Moshé SL, Correa DJ, Galanopoulou AS, Okonkwo DO, Gonzalez-Martinez J, Shutter L, Diaz-Arrastia R, Castellano JF. Insights into epileptogenesis from post-traumatic epilepsy. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:298-312. [PMID: 38570704 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00954-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) accounts for 5% of all epilepsies. The incidence of PTE after traumatic brain injury (TBI) depends on the severity of injury, approaching one in three in groups with the most severe injuries. The repeated seizures that characterize PTE impair neurological recovery and increase the risk of poor outcomes after TBI. Given this high risk of recurrent seizures and the relatively short latency period for their development after injury, PTE serves as a model disease to understand human epileptogenesis and trial novel anti-epileptogenic therapies. Epileptogenesis is the process whereby previously normal brain tissue becomes prone to recurrent abnormal electrical activity, ultimately resulting in seizures. In this Review, we describe the clinical course of PTE and highlight promising research into epileptogenesis and treatment using animal models of PTE. Clinical, imaging, EEG and fluid biomarkers are being developed to aid the identification of patients at high risk of PTE who might benefit from anti-epileptogenic therapies. Studies in preclinical models of PTE have identified tractable pathways and novel therapeutic strategies that can potentially prevent epilepsy, which remain to be validated in humans. In addition to improving outcomes after TBI, advances in PTE research are likely to provide therapeutic insights that are relevant to all epilepsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Pease
- Department of Neurosurgery, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
| | - Kunal Gupta
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Solomon L Moshé
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel J Correa
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aristea S Galanopoulou
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David O Okonkwo
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Lori Shutter
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Challal S, Skiba A, Langlois M, Esguerra CV, Wolfender JL, Crawford AD, Skalicka-Woźniak K. Natural product-derived therapies for treating drug-resistant epilepsies: From ethnopharmacology to evidence-based medicine. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 317:116740. [PMID: 37315641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological human diseases, affecting 1% of the population in all age groups. Despite the availability of over 25 anti-seizure medications (ASMs), which are approved in most industrialized countries, approximately 30% of epilepsy patients still experience seizures that are resistant to these drugs. Since ASMs target only limited number of neurochemical mechanisms, drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is not only an unmet medical need, but also a formidable challenge in drug discovery. AIM In this review, we examine recently approved epilepsy drugs based on natural product (NP) such as cannabidiol (CBD) and rapamycin, as well as NP-based epilepsy drug candidates still in clinical development, such as huperzine A. We also critically evaluate the therapeutic potential of botanical drugs as polytherapy or adjunct therapy specifically for DRE. METHODS Articles related to ethnopharmacological anti-epileptic medicines and NPs in treating all forms of epilepsy were collected from PubMed and Scopus using keywords related to epilepsy, DRE, herbal medicines, and NPs. The database clinicaltrials.gov was used to find ongoing, terminated and planned clinical trials using herbal medicines or NPs in epilepsy treatment. RESULTS A comprehensive review on anti-epileptic herbal drugs and natural products from the ethnomedical literature is provided. We discuss the ethnomedical context of recently approved drugs and drug candidates derived from NPs, including CBD, rapamycin, and huperzine A. Recently published studies on natural products with preclinical efficacy in animal models of DRE are summarized. Moreover, we highlight that natural products capable of pharmacologically activating the vagus nerve (VN), such as CBD, may be therapeutically useful to treat DRE. CONCLUSIONS The review highlights that herbal drugs utilized in traditional medicine offer a valuable source of potential anti-epileptic drug candidates with novel mechanisms of action, and with clinical promise for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Moreover, recently developed NP-based anti-seizure medications (ASMs) indicate the translational potential of metabolites of plant, microbial, fungal and animal origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soura Challal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Switzerland; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Adrianna Skiba
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
| | - Mélanie Langlois
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Camila V Esguerra
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Jean-Luc Wolfender
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Switzerland; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexander D Crawford
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway; Institute for Orphan Drug Discovery, Bremerhavener Innovations- und Gründerzentum (BRIG), Bremerhaven, Germany
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Wu J, Cao M, Peng Y, Dong B, Jiang Y, Hu C, Zhu P, Xing W, Yu L, Xu R, Chen Z. Research progress on the treatment of epilepsy with traditional Chinese medicine. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 120:155022. [PMID: 37647670 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) system is a medical system that has been expanding for thousands of years that was formed by the extensive clinical practice experience of many physicians and the accumulation of personal medication habits in China. In TCM, there is a history of long-term medication for epilepsy, the main treatment for epilepsy is TCM drugs and its prescription, supplemented by TCM modalities such as acupuncture therapy, moxibustion therapy, tuina, emotion adjustment therapy, etc. PURPOSE: With the modernization of TCM, the active ingredients and molecular mechanisms of TCM for epilepsy treatment have been gradually revealed. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the TCM treatment of epilepsy, focusing on the current TCM drugs and some TCM formulae for the treatment of epilepsy, and to discuss the research progress of TCM for the treatment of epilepsy, and to provide a reference to develop future related studies in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS The mechanism of action of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) was interpreted from different perspectives by searching online databases and querying various materials identify drugs used in both modern medicine and TCM systems for the treatment of epilepsy. We collected all relevant TCM for epilepsy literature published in the last 30 years up to December 2022 from electronic databases such as PubMed, CNKI and Web of Science, and statistically analyzed the literature for the following keyword information. The search terms comprise the keywords "TCM", "phytochemistry", "pharmacological activity", "epilepsy" and "traditional application" as a combination. Scientific plant names were provided by "The Plant List" (www.theplantlist.org). RESULTS Epilepsy is a complex and serious disease of the brain and nervous system. At present, the treatment of epilepsy in modern medicine is mainly surgery and chemotherapy, but there are many serious side effects. By summarizing the treatment of epilepsy in TCM, it is found that there are various methods to treat epilepsy in TCM, mainly TCM drugs and its formulae. Many TCM drugs have antiepileptic effects. Now found that the main effective TCM drugs for the treatment of epilepsy are Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, Scorpio, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis and Ganoderma, etc. And the main compounds that play a role in the treatment of epilepsy are curcumin, gastrodin, ligustrazine, baicalin and rhynchophylline, etc. These TCM drugs have played an important role in the treatment of epilepsy in TCM clinic. However, the chemically active components of these TCM drugs are diverse and their mechanisms of action are complex, which are not fully understood and need to be further explored. CONCLUSIONS TCM treats epilepsy in a variety of ways, and with the discovery of a variety of potential bioactive substances for treatment of epilepsy. With the new progress in the research of other TCM treatment methods for epilepsy, TCM will have greater potential in the clinical application of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mayijie Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Baohua Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunxiu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Changjiang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Pengjin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Weidei Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Runchun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Zhimin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, school of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Abdolrahmani M, Mirazi N, Hosseini A. Effect of Duvelisib, a Selective PI3K Inhibitor on Seizure Activity in Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Convulsions Animal Model. Neurosci Insights 2023; 18:26331055231198013. [PMID: 37720697 PMCID: PMC10503276 DOI: 10.1177/26331055231198013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, which is caused by abnormal brain activity. A wide variety of studies have shown the importance of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway in epilepsy pathogenesis. Duvelisib (DUV) is a selective inhibitor of PI3K. The present study investigated the anticonvulsant potential of DUV in a rat model of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced convulsions. Male Wistar rats (200-250 g, 8 weeks old) were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with DUV at different doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, or vehicle 30 minutes prior to PTZ (70 mg/kg, IP) treatment. Based on Racine's scale, behavioral seizures were assessed. The results showed that pretreatment with DUV prolonged the seizure stages according to the Racine scale, significantly decreased the duration of general tonic-clonic seizure and reduced the number of myoclonic jerks (P < .05). In conclusion, we found that PI3K antagonist DUV significantly reduced PTZ-induced seizures, indicating that DUV exerts an anticonvulsant effect by inhibiting PI3K signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnaz Abdolrahmani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Naser Mirazi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Abdolkarim Hosseini
- Department of Animal Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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Riikonen R. Biochemical mechanisms in pathogenesis of infantile epileptic spasm syndrome. Seizure 2023; 105:1-9. [PMID: 36634586 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms leading to infantile epileptic spasm syndrome (IESS) remain obscure. The only common factor seems to be that the spasms are restricted to a limited period of infancy, during a certain maturational state. Here the current literature regarding the biochemical mechanisms of brain maturation in IESS is reviewed, and various hypotheses of the pathophysiology are put together. They include: (1) imbalance of inhibitory (NGF, IGF-1, ACTH, GABA) and excitatory factors (glutamate, nitrites) which distinguishes the different etiological subgroups, (2) abnormality of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis linking insults and early life stress, (3) inflammation (4) yet poorly known genetic and epigenetic factors, and (5) glucocorticoid and vigabatrin action on brain development, pinpointing at molecular targets of the pathophysiology from another angle. An altered maturational process may explain why so many, seemingly independent etiological factors lead to the same clinical syndrome and frequently to developmental delay. Understanding these factors can provide ideas for novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raili Riikonen
- Children's Hospital, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
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Developing Novel Experimental Models of m-TORopathic Epilepsy and Related Neuropathologies: Translational Insights from Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021530. [PMID: 36675042 PMCID: PMC9866103 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021530] [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: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an important molecular regulator of cell growth and proliferation. Brain mTOR activity plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity, cell development, migration and proliferation, as well as memory storage, protein synthesis, autophagy, ion channel expression and axonal regeneration. Aberrant mTOR signaling causes a diverse group of neurological disorders, termed 'mTORopathies'. Typically arising from mutations within the mTOR signaling pathway, these disorders are characterized by cortical malformations and other neuromorphological abnormalities that usually co-occur with severe, often treatment-resistant, epilepsy. Here, we discuss recent advances and current challenges in developing experimental models of mTOR-dependent epilepsy and other related mTORopathies, including using zebrafish models for studying these disorders, as well as outline future directions of research in this field.
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Focal cortical dysplasia as a cause of epilepsy: The current evidence of associated genes and future therapeutic treatments. INTERDISCIPLINARY NEUROSURGERY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inat.2022.101635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Regulation of Inflammation-Related Genes through Fosl1 Suppression in a Levetiracetam-Treated Pilocarpine-Induced Status Epilepticus Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147608. [PMID: 35886955 PMCID: PMC9317701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Levetiracetam (LEV) suppresses the upregulation of proinflammatory molecules that occurs during epileptogenesis after status epilepticus (SE). Based on previous studies, LEV likely helps prevent the onset of epilepsy after insults to the brain, unlike other conventional anti-epileptic drugs. Recently, we discovered that the increase in Fosl1 expression that occurs after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation is suppressed by LEV and that Fosl1 inhibition suppresses inflammation in BV-2 microglial cells. These data indicate that Fosl1 is an important target of LEV and a key factor in preventing epilepsy onset. In this study, we examined the effects of LEV on Fosl1 expression and neuroinflammation in vivo. During epileptogenesis, the post-SE upregulation of hippocampal levels of Fosl1 and many inflammatory factors were suppressed by LEV. Fosl1 expression showed a characteristic pattern different from that of the expression of Fos, an immediate-early gene belonging to the same Fos family. At 2 days after SE, Fosl1 was predominantly expressed in astrocytes but was rarely detected in microglia, whereas Fos expression was distributed in various brain cell types. The expression of A2 astrocyte markers was similar to that of Fosl1 and was significantly suppressed by LEV. These results suggest that LEV may regulate astrocyte reactivity through regulation of Fosl1.
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Genetic pathogenesis of the epileptogenic lesions in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Therapeutic targeting of the mTOR pathway. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 131:107713. [PMID: 33431351 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.107713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic multisystem disease due to the mutation in one of the two genes TSC1 and TSC2, affecting several organs and systems and carrying a significant risk of early onset and refractory seizures. The pathogenesis of this complex disorder is now well known, with most of TSC-related manifestations being a consequence of the overactivation of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) complex. The discovery of this underlying mechanism paved the way for the use of a class of drugs called mTOR inhibitors including rapamycin and everolimus and specifically targeting this pathway. Rapamycin has been widely used in different animal models of TSC-related epilepsy and proved to be able not only to suppress seizures but also to prevent the development of epilepsy, thus demonstrating an antiepileptogenic potential. In some models, it also showed some benefit on neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with TSC. Everolimus has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medical Agency for the treatment of refractory seizures associated with TSC starting from the age of 2 years. It demonstrated a clear benefit when compared to placebo on reducing the frequency of different seizure types and exerting a higher effect in younger children. In conclusion, mTOR cascade can be a potentially major cause of TSC-associated epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disability, and additional research should investigate if early suppression of abnormal mTOR signal with mTOR inhibitors before seizure onset can be a more efficient approach and an effective antiepileptogenic and disease-modifying strategy in infants with TSC.
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Biagioni F, Celli R, Giorgi FS, Nicoletti F, Fornai F. Perspective on mTOR-dependent Protection in Status Epilepticus. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:1006-1010. [PMID: 34636300 PMCID: PMC9886823 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666211005152618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The piriform cortex, known as area tempestas, has a high propensity to trigger limbic epileptic seizures. Recent studies on human patients indicate that a resection containing the piriform cortex produces a marked improvement in patients suffering from intractable limbic seizures. This calls for looking back at the pharmacological and anatomical data on area tempestas. Within the piriform cortex, status epilepticus can be induced by impairing the desensitization of AMPA receptors. The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex1 (mTORC1) is a promising candidate. OBJECTIVE The present perspective aims to link the novel role of the piriform cortex with recent evidence on the modulation of AMPA receptors under the influence of mTORC1. This is based on recent evidence and preliminary data, leading to the formulation of interaction between mTORC1 and AMPA receptors to mitigate the onset of long-lasting, self-sustaining, neurotoxic status epilepticus. METHODS The perspective grounds its method on recent literature along with the actual experimental procedure to elicit status epilepticus from the piriform cortex and the method to administer the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin to mitigate seizure expression and brain damage. RESULTS The available and present perspectives converge to show that rapamycin may disrupt the seizure circuitry initiated in the piriform cortex to mitigate seizure duration, severity, and brain damage. CONCLUSION The perspective provides a novel scenario to understand refractory epilepsy and selfsustaining status epilepticus. It is expected to provide a beneficial outcome in patients suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberta Celli
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy;,Co-First Authors
| | - Filippo Sean Giorgi
- Human Anatomy, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy;,Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Fornai
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy;,Human Anatomy, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy;,Address correspondence to this author at I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, via dell’elettronica, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy and Human Anatomy, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, The University of Pisa, via Roma 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Tel: +39 0502218667; E-mails: ;
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Lou S, Cui S. Drug treatment of epilepsy: From serendipitous discovery to evolutionary mechanisms. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:3366-3391. [PMID: 34514980 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210910124727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder caused by abnormal firing of neurons. Up to now, using antiepileptic drugs is the main method of epilepsy treatment. The development of antiepileptic drugs lasted for centuries. In general, most agents entering clinical practice act on the balance mechanisms of brain "excitability-inhibition". More specifically, they target voltage-gated ion channels, GABAergic transmission and glutamatergic transmission. In recent years, some novel drugs representing new mechanisms of action have been discovered. Although there are about 30 available drugs in the market, it is still in urgent need of discovering more effective and safer drugs. The development of new antiepileptic drugs is into a new era: from serendipitous discovery to evolutionary mechanism-based design. This article presents an overview of drug treatment of epilepsy, including a series of traditional and novel drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengying Lou
- Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou. China
| | - Sunliang Cui
- Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou. China
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14
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Wang T, Zhou M, Zhang Q, Zhang C, Peng G. ubtor Mutation Causes Motor Hyperactivity by Activating mTOR Signaling in Zebrafish. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:1658-1670. [PMID: 34309811 PMCID: PMC8643380 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00755-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling governs important physiological and pathological processes key to cellular life. Loss of mTOR negative regulators and subsequent over-activation of mTOR signaling are major causes underlying epileptic encephalopathy. Our previous studies showed that UBTOR/KIAA1024/MINAR1 acts as a negative regulator of mTOR signaling, but whether UBTOR plays a role in neurological diseases remains largely unknown. We therefore examined a zebrafish model and found that ubtor disruption caused increased spontaneous embryonic movement and neuronal activity in spinal interneurons, as well as the expected hyperactivation of mTOR signaling in early zebrafish embryos. In addition, mutant ubtor larvae showed increased sensitivity to the convulsant pentylenetetrazol, and both the motor activity and the neuronal activity were up-regulated. These phenotypic abnormalities in zebrafish embryos and larvae were rescued by treatment with the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. Taken together, our findings show that ubtor regulates motor hyperactivity and epilepsy-like behaviors by elevating neuronal activity and activating mTOR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mingshan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Cuizhen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Gang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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15
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Paudel YN, Angelopoulou E, Piperi C, Gnatkovsky V, Othman I, Shaikh MF. From the Molecular Mechanism to Pre-clinical Results: Anti-epileptic Effects of Fingolimod. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 18:1126-1137. [PMID: 32310049 PMCID: PMC7709153 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666200420125017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a devastating neurological condition characterized by long-term tendency to generate unprovoked seizures, affecting around 1-2% of the population worldwide. Epilepsy is a serious health concern which often associates with other neurobehavioral comorbidities that further worsen disease conditions. Despite tremendous research, the mainstream anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) exert only symptomatic relief leading to 30% of untreatable patients. This reflects the complexity of the disease pathogenesis and urges the precise understanding of underlying mechanisms in order to explore novel therapeutic strategies that might alter the disease progression as well as minimize the epilepsy-associated comorbidities. Unfortunately, the development of novel AEDs might be a difficult process engaging huge funds, tremendous scientific efforts and stringent regulatory compliance with a possible chance of end-stage drug failure. Hence, an alternate strategy is drug repurposing, where anti-epileptic effects are elicited from drugs that are already used to treat non-epileptic disorders. Herein, we provide evidence of the anti-epileptic effects of Fingolimod (FTY720), a modulator of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor, USFDA approved already for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). Emerging experimental findings suggest that Fingolimod treatment exerts disease-modifying anti-epileptic effects based on its anti-neuroinflammatory properties, potent neuroprotection, anti-gliotic effects, myelin protection, reduction of mTOR signaling pathway and activation of microglia and astrocytes. We further discuss the underlying molecular crosstalk associated with the anti-epileptic effects of Fingolimod and provide evidence for repurposing Fingolimod to overcome the limitations of current AEDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yam Nath Paudel
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Efthalia Angelopoulou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Piperi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vadym Gnatkovsky
- Unit of Epileptology and Experimental Neurophysiology, Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Iekhsan Othman
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Farooq Shaikh
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
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16
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Akman O, Briggs SW, Mowrey WB, Moshé SL, Galanopoulou AS. Antiepileptogenic effects of rapamycin in a model of infantile spasms due to structural lesions. Epilepsia 2021; 62:1985-1999. [PMID: 34212374 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Infantile spasms may evolve into persistent epilepsies including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. We compared adult epilepsy outcomes in models of infantile spasms due to structural etiology (multiple-hit model) or focal cortical inflammation and determined the anti-epileptogenic effects of pulse-rapamycin, previously shown to stop spasms in multiple-hit rats. METHODS Spasms were induced in 3-day-old male rats via right intracerebral doxorubicin/lipopolysaccharide (multiple-hit model) infusions. Controls and sham rats were used. Separate multiple-hit rats received pulse-rapamycin or vehicle intraperitoneally between postnatal days 4 and 6. In adult mice, video-EEG (electroencephalography) scoring for seizures and sleep and histology were done blinded to treatment. RESULTS Motor-type seizures developed in 66.7% of multiple-hit rats, usually from sleep, but were reduced in the pulse-rapamycin-treated group (20%, p = .043 vs multiple-hit) and rare in other groups (0-9.1%, p < .05 vs multiple-hit). Spike-and-wave bursts had a slower frequency in multiple-hit rats (5.4-5.8Hz) than in the other groups (7.6-8.3Hz) (p < .05); pulse rapamycin had no effect on the hourly spike-and-wave burst rates in adulthood. Rapamycin, however, reduced the time spent in slow-wave-sleep (17.2%), which was increased in multiple-hit rats (71.6%, p = .003). Sham rats spent more time in wakefulness (43.7%) compared to controls (30.6%, p = .043). Multiple-hit rats, with or without rapamycin treatment, had right more than left corticohippocampal, basal ganglia lesions. There was no macroscopic pathology in the other groups. SIGNIFICANCE Structural corticohippocampal/basal ganglia lesions increase the risk for post-infantile spasms epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome features, and sleep dysregulation. Pulse rapamycin treatment for infantile spasms has anti-epileptogenic effects, despite the structural lesions, and decreases the time spent in slow wave sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozlem Akman
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Stephen W Briggs
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Wenzhu B Mowrey
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Solomon L Moshé
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Bronx, New York, USA.,Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Montefiore/Einstein Epilepsy Center, Bronx, New York, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Aristea S Galanopoulou
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Bronx, New York, USA.,Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Montefiore/Einstein Epilepsy Center, Bronx, New York, USA
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Rapamycin alleviates memory deficit against pentylenetetrazole-induced neural toxicity in Wistar male rats. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:5083-5091. [PMID: 34165769 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06504-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have reported that epilepsy causes memory deficits. The present study was aimed at studying the effect of rapamycin against the memory deficiency of the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled animal model of epilepsy. In the present experiment, we randomly chose thirty male rats from the species of Wistar and categorized them in groups of control and experiment (6 for each group). The groups of experiment received the injection of rapamycin (0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) and the group of control received normal saline (0.9%) treatment. Through the PTZ's sub-threshold dose (35 mg kg-1, i.p.), all groups were kindled 12 times. Passive avoidance test (PAT) was used for gauging the memory function and the seizure behaviors after the kindling procedure. The rodents were sacrificed at the end of the trial and their brains were scooped for measuring the expression of Gabra1 and Pras40 genes. Statistical analysis unveiled that rapamycin delayed the kindling development and the onset of seizures which are tonic-clonic. Moreover, the administration of rapamycin significantly prevented memory dysfunction in epileptic rats. Finally, it was shown that rapamycin resulted in an increase in the expression levels of Gabra1 and Pras40 genes at the brain tissues. The current research design indicated that rapamycin has beneficial effects for the prevention of memory impairment against PTZ-kindling epilepsy in rats. Such promising outcomes could be attributed to its impact on the Gabra1 and Pras40 genes.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) represent the most common etiology in pediatric drug-resistant focal epilepsies undergoing surgical treatment. The localization, extent and histopathological features of FCDs are considerably variable. Somatic mosaic mutations of genes that encode proteins in the PI3K-AKTmTOR pathway, which also includes the tuberous sclerosis associated genes TSC1 and TSC2, have been implicated in FCD type II in a substantial subset of patients. Surgery is the principal therapeutic option for FCD-related epilepsy. Advanced neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques have improved surgical outcome and reduced the risk of postsurgical deficits. Pharmacological MTOR inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials and might represent an example of personalized treatment of epilepsy based on the known mechanisms of disease, used alone or in combination with surgery. AREAS COVERED This review will critically analyze the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of FCDs, with a special focus on the novel therapeutic options prompted by a better understanding of their pathophysiology. EXPERT OPINION Focal cortical dysplasia is a main cause of drug-resistant epilepsy, especially in children. Novel, personalized approaches are needed to more effectively treat FCD-related epilepsy and its cognitive consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renzo Guerrini
- Neuroscience Department, Children's Hospital Meyer-University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Carmen Barba
- Neuroscience Department, Children's Hospital Meyer-University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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19
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Salomone G, Comella M, Portale A, Pecora G, Costanza G, Lo Bianco M, Sciuto S, Praticò ER, Falsaperla R. The Spectrum of DEPDC5-Related Epilepsy. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1727139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDisheveled EGL-10 and pleckstrin domain-containing protein 5 (DEPDC5) is a key member of the GAP activity toward rags complex 1 complex, which inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway. DEPDC5 loss-of-function mutations lead to an aberrant activation of the mTOR signaling. At neuronal level, the increased mTOR cascade causes the generation of epileptogenic dysplastic neuronal circuits and it is often associated with malformation of cortical development. The DEPDC5 phenotypic spectrum ranges from sporadic early-onset epilepsies with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes to familial focal epilepsies and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy; a high rate of inter- and intrafamilial variability has been reported. To date, clear genotype–phenotype correlations have not been proven. More studies are required to elucidate the significance of likely pathogenic/variants of uncertain significance. The pursuit of a molecular targeted antiepileptic therapy is a future challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Salomone
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Mattia Comella
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Anna Portale
- Unit of Pediatrics, Avola Hospital, Siracusa, Italy
| | - Giulia Pecora
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Costanza
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Manuela Lo Bianco
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Sarah Sciuto
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Raffaele Falsaperla
- Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital “Policlinico Rodolico-San Marco,” Catania, Italy
- Units of Neonatal Intensive Care and Neonatology, University Hospital “Policlinico Rodolico-San Marco,” Catania, Italy
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20
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Sidira C, Vargiami E, Dragoumi P, Zafeiriou DI. Hemimegalencephaly and tuberous sclerosis complex: A rare yet challenging association. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2021; 30:58-65. [PMID: 33387903 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hemimegalencephaly is a rare malformation of cortical development characterised by enlargement of one cerebral hemisphere. The association between hemimegalencephaly and tuberous sclerosis complex, an autosomal dominant genetic disorder, is uncommon and has so far been reported only in a few cases. Intractable epilepsy and severe developmental delay are typical clinical manifestations. Aberrant activation of the mTOR signalling pathway is considered to be the hallmark of the pathogenesis of these two disorders. Thus, mTOR inhibitors such as everolimus represent a promising therapeutic approach to mTOR-associated manifestations. We present a thorough literature review of the association between hemimegaloencephaly and tuberous sclerosis complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Sidira
- 1st Paediatric Department, Developmental Centre "A. Fokas", Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, "Hippokration" General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Efthymia Vargiami
- 1st Paediatric Department, Developmental Centre "A. Fokas", Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, "Hippokration" General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Pinelopi Dragoumi
- 1st Paediatric Department, Developmental Centre "A. Fokas", Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, "Hippokration" General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitrios I Zafeiriou
- 1st Paediatric Department, Developmental Centre "A. Fokas", Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, "Hippokration" General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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21
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Feng H, Gui Q, Wu G, Zhu W, Dong X, Shen M, Fu X, Shi G, Luo H, Yang X, Xue S, Cheng Q. Long noncoding RNA Nespas inhibits apoptosis of epileptiform hippocampal neurons by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Exp Cell Res 2020; 398:112384. [PMID: 33212147 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases with spontaneous recurrent seizures. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial modulators in numerous diseases, including epilepsy. However, the functional role and potential mechanism of lncRNA Nespas in epilepsy remain unknown. Our study clarified that Nespas was underexpressed in epileptiform hippocampal tissues and neurons. Furthermore, Nespas promoted hippocampal neuron viability and proliferation, and inhibited hippocampal neuron apoptosis. Mechanistically, Nespas interacted with microRNA 615-3p (miR-615-3p) in epileptiform hippocampal neurons. 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 11 (Psmd11) was a downstream target of miR-615-3p, and Nespas elevated Psmd11 expression via competitively binding to miR-615-3p in epileptiform hippocampal neurons. In addition, rescue assays suggested that Nespas promoted hippocampal neuron viability and proliferation, and suppressed hippocampal neuron apoptosis by upregulation of Psmd11. Furthermore, Nespas suppressed the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway via upregulating Psmd11 in epileptiform hippocampal neurons. This report explored the function and regulatory mechanism of Nespas in epileptiform hippocampal neurons for the first time. Our findings revealed that Nespas suppressed the apoptosis of epileptiform hippocampal neurons by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway via upregulation of Psmd11 at a miR-615-3p dependent way, indicating that Nespas may offer a new direction for the treatment of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxuan Feng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China; Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qian Gui
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guanhui Wu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaofeng Dong
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingqiang Shen
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuetao Fu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guomei Shi
- Department of Neurology, Taixing People's Hospital, Taixing, 225400, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hailong Luo
- Department of Neurology, Hongqi Hospital Affiliated to Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- Department of Neurology, The People's Hospital of SND, Suzhou, 215129, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shouru Xue
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Qingzhang Cheng
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Suzhou Municipal Hospital), Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China.
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22
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Rubio C, Luna R, Rosiles A, Rubio-Osornio M. Caloric Restriction and Ketogenic Diet Therapy for Epilepsy: A Molecular Approach Involving Wnt Pathway and K ATP Channels. Front Neurol 2020; 11:584298. [PMID: 33250850 PMCID: PMC7676225 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.584298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which, in many cases, there is poor pharmacological control of seizures. Nevertheless, it may respond beneficially to alternative treatments such as dietary therapy, like the ketogenic diet or caloric restriction. One of the mechanisms of these diets is to produce a hyperpolarization mediated by the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels (KATP channels). An extracellular increase of K+ prevents the release of Ca2+ by inhibiting the signaling of the Wnt pathway and the translocation of β-catenin to the cell nucleus. Wnt ligands hyperpolarize the cells by activating K+ current by Ca2+. Each of the diets described in this paper has in common a lower use of carbohydrates, which leads to biochemical, genetic processes presumed to be involved in the reduction of epileptic seizures. Currently, there is not much information about the genetic processes implicated as well as the possible beneficial effects of diet therapy on epilepsy. In this review, we aim to describe some of the possible genes involved in Wnt pathways, their regulation through the KATP channels which are implicated in each one of the diets, and how they can reduce epileptic seizures at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Rubio
- Neurophysiology Department, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Manuel Velasco Suárez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rudy Luna
- Neurophysiology Department, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Manuel Velasco Suárez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Artemio Rosiles
- Experimental Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Manuel Velasco Suárez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Moisés Rubio-Osornio
- Experimental Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Manuel Velasco Suárez, Mexico City, Mexico
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Novel brain permeant mTORC1/2 inhibitors are as efficacious as rapamycin or everolimus in mouse models of acquired partial epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis complex. Neuropharmacology 2020; 180:108297. [PMID: 32890589 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates cell proliferation, growth and survival, and is activated in cancer and neurological disorders, including epilepsy. The rapamycin derivative ("rapalog") everolimus, which allosterically inhibits the mTOR pathway, is approved for the treatment of partial epilepsy with spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) in individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). In contrast to the efficacy in TSC, the efficacy of rapalogs on SRS in other types of epilepsy is equivocal. Furthermore, rapalogs only poorly penetrate into the brain and are associated with peripheral adverse effects, which may compromise their therapeutic efficacy. Here we compare the antiseizure efficacy of two novel, brain-permeable ATP-competitive and selective mTORC1/2 inhibitors, PQR620 and PQR626, and the selective dual pan-PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR530 in two mouse models of chronic epilepsy with SRS, the intrahippocampal kainate (IHK) mouse model of acquired temporal lobe epilepsy and Tsc1GFAP CKO mice, a well-characterized mouse model of epilepsy in TSC. During prolonged treatment of IHK mice with rapamycin, everolimus, PQR620, PQR626, or PQR530; only PQR620 exerted a transient antiseizure effect on SRS, at well tolerated doses whereas the other compounds were ineffective. In contrast, all of the examined compounds markedly suppressed SRS in Tsc1GFAP CKO mice during chronic treatment at well tolerated doses. Thus, against our expectation, no clear differences in antiseizure efficacy were found across the three classes of mTOR inhibitors examined in mouse models of genetic and acquired epilepsies. The main advantage of the novel 1,3,5-triazine derivatives is their excellent tolerability compared to rapalogs, which would favor their development as new therapies for TORopathies such as TSC.
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Klein P, Friedman A, Hameed MQ, Kaminski RM, Bar-Klein G, Klitgaard H, Koepp M, Jozwiak S, Prince DA, Rotenberg A, Twyman R, Vezzani A, Wong M, Löscher W. Repurposed molecules for antiepileptogenesis: Missing an opportunity to prevent epilepsy? Epilepsia 2020; 61:359-386. [PMID: 32196665 PMCID: PMC8317585 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Prevention of epilepsy is a great unmet need. Acute central nervous system (CNS) insults such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), and CNS infections account for 15%-20% of all epilepsy. Following TBI and CVA, there is a latency of days to years before epilepsy develops. This allows treatment to prevent or modify postinjury epilepsy. No such treatment exists. In animal models of acquired epilepsy, a number of medications in clinical use for diverse indications have been shown to have antiepileptogenic or disease-modifying effects, including medications with excellent side effect profiles. These include atorvastatin, ceftriaxone, losartan, isoflurane, N-acetylcysteine, and the antiseizure medications levetiracetam, brivaracetam, topiramate, gabapentin, pregabalin, vigabatrin, and eslicarbazepine acetate. In addition, there are preclinical antiepileptogenic data for anakinra, rapamycin, fingolimod, and erythropoietin, although these medications have potential for more serious side effects. However, except for vigabatrin, there have been almost no translation studies to prevent or modify epilepsy using these potentially "repurposable" medications. We may be missing an opportunity to develop preventive treatment for epilepsy by not evaluating these medications clinically. One reason for the lack of translation studies is that the preclinical data for most of these medications are disparate in terms of types of injury, models within different injury type, dosing, injury-treatment initiation latencies, treatment duration, and epilepsy outcome evaluation mode and duration. This makes it difficult to compare the relative strength of antiepileptogenic evidence across the molecules, and difficult to determine which drug(s) would be the best to evaluate clinically. Furthermore, most preclinical antiepileptogenic studies lack information needed for translation, such as dose-blood level relationship, brain target engagement, and dose-response, and many use treatment parameters that cannot be applied clinically, for example, treatment initiation before or at the time of injury and dosing higher than tolerated human equivalent dosing. Here, we review animal and human antiepileptogenic evidence for these medications. We highlight the gaps in our knowledge for each molecule that need to be filled in order to consider clinical translation, and we suggest a platform of preclinical antiepileptogenesis evaluation of potentially repurposable molecules or their combinations going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Klein
- Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alon Friedman
- Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, and Brain and Cognitive Science, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Departments of Medical Neuroscience and Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Mustafa Q. Hameed
- Neuromodulation Program, Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rafal M. Kaminski
- Neurosymptomatic Domains Section, Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Guy Bar-Klein
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Henrik Klitgaard
- Neurosciences Therapeutic Area, UCB Pharma, Braine-l’Alleud, Belgium
| | - Mathias Koepp
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Sergiusz Jozwiak
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland
| | - David A. Prince
- Neurology and the Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Neuromodulation Program, Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Annamaria Vezzani
- Department of Neuroscience, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Milan, Italy
| | - Michael Wong
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
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25
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Zhu L, Chen L, Xu P, Lu D, Dai S, Zhong L, Han Y, Zhang M, Xiao B, Chang L, Wu Q. Genetic and molecular basis of epilepsy-related cognitive dysfunction. Epilepsy Behav 2020; 104:106848. [PMID: 32028124 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurological disease characterized by recurrent seizures. About 70 million people were affected by epilepsy or epileptic seizures. Epilepsy is a complicated complex or symptomatic syndromes induced by structural, functional, and genetic causes. Meanwhile, several comorbidities are accompanied by epileptic seizures. Cognitive dysfunction is a long-standing complication associated with epileptic seizures, which severely impairs quality of life. Although the definitive pathogenic mechanisms underlying epilepsy-related cognitive dysfunction remain unclear, accumulating evidence indicates that multiple risk factors are probably involved in the development and progression of cognitive dysfunction in patients with epilepsy. These factors include the underlying etiology, recurrent seizures or status epilepticus, structural damage that induced secondary epilepsy, genetic variants, and molecular alterations. In this review, we summarize several theories that may explain the genetic and molecular basis of epilepsy-related cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Puying Xu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Di Lu
- Biomedicine Engineering Research Center, Kunming Medical University, 1168 Chun Rong West Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, PR China
| | - Shujuan Dai
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Lianmei Zhong
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Yanbing Han
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Mengqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiang Ya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, PR China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiang Ya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, PR China
| | - Lvhua Chang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China.
| | - Qian Wu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China.
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26
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Mir A, Qahtani M, Bashir S. GRIN2A -Related Severe Epileptic Encephalopathy Treated with Memantine: An Example of Precision Medicine. J Pediatr Genet 2019; 9:252-257. [PMID: 32765929 DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3401028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Epileptic spasm (ES) is one of the seizure types which is difficult to treat. Next-generation sequencing has facilitated rapid gene discovery that is linked to ES and GRIN2A being one of them. Genotype-driven precision medicine is on the horizon and is a targeted treatment approach toward the precise molecular cause of the disease. GRIN2A gene encodes for a subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and it has been suggested from in vitro studies and few case reports that memantine, a NMDA receptor antagonist, was shown to reduce seizures in patients with GRIN2A mutations. Here, we describe a patient with a novel GRIN2A mutation and severe drug-resistant ES who became seizure free with memantine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Mir
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Qahtani
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shahid Bashir
- Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.,Berenson-Allen Center for Non-invasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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27
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Anticonvulsant action of a selective phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 in pentylenetetrazole-mediated convulsions in zebrafish. Epilepsy Res 2019; 157:106207. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2019.106207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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28
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Gericke B, Brandt C, Theilmann W, Welzel L, Schidlitzki A, Twele F, Kaczmarek E, Anjum M, Hillmann P, Löscher W. Selective inhibition of mTORC1/2 or PI3K/mTORC1/2 signaling does not prevent or modify epilepsy in the intrahippocampal kainate mouse model. Neuropharmacology 2019; 162:107817. [PMID: 31654704 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway has been implicated in several brain disorders, including epilepsy. Rapamycin and similar compounds inhibit mTOR. complex 1 and have been reported to decrease seizures, delay seizure development, or prevent epileptogenesis in different animal models of genetic or acquired epilepsies. However, data for acquired epilepsy are inconsistent, which, at least in part, may be due to the poor brain penetration and long brain persistence of rapamycin and the fact that it blocks only one of the two cellular mTOR complexes. Here we examined the antiepileptogenic or disease-modifying effects of two novel, brain-permeable and well tolerated 1,3,5-triazine derivatives, the ATP-competitive mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR620 and the dual pan-PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR530 in the intrahippocampal kainate mouse model, in which spontaneous seizures develop after status epilepticus (SE). Following kainate injection, the two compounds were administered over 2 weeks at doses previously been shown to block mTORC1/2 or PI3K/mTORC1/2 in the mouse brain. When spontaneous seizures were recorded by continuous (24/7) video-EEG recording starting 6 weeks after termination of treatment, no effects on incidence or frequency of seizures were observed. Drug treatment suppressed the epilepsy-induced activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in the hippocampus, but granule cell dispersion in the dentate gyrus was not prevented. When epilepsy-associated behavioral alterations were determined 12-14 weeks after kainate, mice pretreated with PQR620 or PQR530 exhibited reduced anxiety-related behavior in the light-dark box, indicating a disease-modifying effect. Overall, the data indicate that mTORC1/C2 or PI3K/mTORC1/C2 inhibition may not be an antiepileptogenic strategy for SE-induced epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birthe Gericke
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Claudia Brandt
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
| | - Wiebke Theilmann
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
| | - Lisa Welzel
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alina Schidlitzki
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
| | - Friederike Twele
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
| | - Edith Kaczmarek
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
| | - Muneeb Anjum
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
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29
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Balashova A, Pershin V, Zaborskaya O, Tkachenko N, Mironov A, Guryev E, Kurbatov L, Gainullin M, Mukhina I. Enzymatic Digestion of Hyaluronan-Based Brain Extracellular Matrix in vivo Can Induce Seizures in Neonatal Mice. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1033. [PMID: 31632233 PMCID: PMC6779145 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well-known that hyaluronic acid (HA) as a component of brain extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a pivotal role in the nervous system and is involved in synaptic plasticity changes in vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. HA breakdown is a feature of the acute stage of stroke injury and may be detrimental through enhancement of the inflammatory response. Recent studies have shown that knockout mice lacking hyaluronic acid synthetase demonstrates epileptic phenotype in vivo and removal of HA leads to delayed development of epileptiform activity in cultured hippocampal neurons in vitro. Here, we studied whether digestion of hyaluronic acid in the hippocampus in early postnatal period can trigger seizures. Hyaluronidase (Hyal) (5 U/μl) was bilaterally injected into C57BL/6j mice (P17) CA1 field of hippocampus using the stereotaxic method to remove hyaluronan-based ECM. Transcriptome analysis of hippocampal tissue 2 h after enzymatic digestion of hyaluronan-based brain ECM revealed increased gene expression of proteins involved in inflammation reactions (TLR2, CCL2,3,5), neuroinflammation, axonal guidance and ephrin receptor signaling, versus the vehicle group. Mice injected with hyaluronidase exhibited delayed audiogenic seizures and improvement in working memory 72 h after injection, while there were no changes in locomotor activity, anxious level and exploratory behavior due to the open field test. The obtained results point to a link between the activation of neuroinflammation by enzymatic digestion of hyaluronan-based brain ECM during the neonatal period and their subsequent reactivity to seizures, which may play an important role in the functional features of the developing brain, including its seizure propensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Balashova
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Vladimir Pershin
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Olga Zaborskaya
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Natalia Tkachenko
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Andrey Mironov
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Evgeny Guryev
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Leonid Kurbatov
- V. N. Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Murat Gainullin
- Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Norwegian PSC Research Center and Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Irina Mukhina
- Laboratory for Brain Extracellular Matrix Research, N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Cell Technology Group, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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30
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Coding and non-coding transcriptome of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: Critical role of small non-coding RNAs. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 134:104612. [PMID: 31533065 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), one of the most common form of drug-resistant epilepsy in humans, is derived mainly from clinical, imaging, and physiological data from humans and animal models. High-throughput gene expression studies of human MTLE have the potential to uncover molecular changes underlying disease pathogenesis along with novel therapeutic targets. Using RNA- and small RNA-sequencing in parrallel, we explored differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus and cortex of MTLE patients who had undergone surgical resection and non-epileptic controls. We identified differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus of MTLE patients and differentially expressed small RNAs across both the cortex and hippocampus. We found significant enrichment for astrocytic and microglial genes among up-regulated genes, and down regulation of neuron specific genes in the hippocampus of MTLE patients. The transcriptome profile of the small RNAs reflected disease state more robustly than mRNAs, even across brain regions which show very little pathology. While mRNAs segregated predominately by brain region for MTLE and controls, small RNAs segregated by disease state. In particular, our data suggest that specific miRNAs (e.g., let-7b-3p and let-7c-3p) may be key regulators of multiple pathways related to MTLE pathology. Further, we report a strong association of other small RNA species with MTLE pathology. As such we have uncovered novel elements that may contribute to the establishment and progression of MTLE pathogenesis and that could be leveraged as therapeutic targets.
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31
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H S N, Paudel YN, K L K. Envisioning the neuroprotective effect of Metformin in experimental epilepsy: A portrait of molecular crosstalk. Life Sci 2019; 233:116686. [PMID: 31348946 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate and aggravate epileptic seizures affecting around 1% of global population making it a serious health concern. Despite the recent advances in epilepsy research, no disease-modifying treatment able to terminate epileptogenesis have been reported yet reflecting the complexity in understanding the disease pathogenesis. To overcome the current treatment gap against epilepsy, one effective approach is to explore anti-epileptic effects from a drug that are approved to treat non-epileptic diseases. In this regard, Metformin emerged as an ideal candidate which is a first line treatment option for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), has conferred neuroprotection in several in vivo neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's diseases (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Stroke, Huntington's diseases (HD) including epilepsy. In addition, Metformin has ameliorated cognitive alteration, learning and memory induced by epilepsy as well as in animal model of AD. Herein, we review the promising findings demonstrated upon Metformin treatment against animal model of epilepsy however, the precise underlying mechanism of anti-epileptic potential of Metformin is not well understood. However, there is a growing understanding that Metformin demonstrates its anti-epileptic effect mainly via ameliorating brain oxidative damage, activation of AMPK, inhibition of mTOR pathway, downregulation of α-synuclein, reducing apoptosis, downregulation of BDNF and TrkB level. These reflects that Metformin being non-anti-epileptic drug (AED) has a potential to ameliorate the cellular pathways that were impaired in epilepsy reflecting its therapeutical potential against epileptic seizure that might plausibly overcome the limitations of today epilepsy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini H S
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Sri Shivarathreeshwara Nagara, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Yam Nath Paudel
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Krishna K L
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Sri Shivarathreeshwara Nagara, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India.
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32
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Löscher W. The holy grail of epilepsy prevention: Preclinical approaches to antiepileptogenic treatments. Neuropharmacology 2019; 167:107605. [PMID: 30980836 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A variety of acute brain insults can induce epileptogenesis, a complex process that results in acquired epilepsy. Despite advances in understanding mechanisms of epileptogenesis, there is currently no approved treatment that prevents the development or progression of epilepsy in patients at risk. The current concept of epileptogenesis assumes a window of opportunity following acute brain insults that allows intervention with preventive treatment. Recent results suggest that injury-induced epileptogenesis can be a much more rapid process than previously thought, suggesting that the 'therapeutic window' may only be open for a brief period, as in stroke therapy. However, experimental data also suggest a second, possibly delayed process ("secondary epileptogenesis") that influences the progression and refractoriness of the epileptic state over time, allowing interfering with this process even after onset of epilepsy. In this review, both methodological issues in preclinical drug development and novel targets for antiepileptogenesis will be discussed. Several promising drugs that either prevent epilepsy (antiepileptogenesis) or slow epilepsy progression and alleviate cognitive or behavioral comorbidities of epilepsy (disease modification) have been described in recent years, using diverse animal models of acquired epilepsy. Promising agents include TrkB inhibitors, losartan, statins, isoflurane, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative drugs, the SV2A modulator levetiracetam, and epigenetic interventions. Research on translational target validity and on prognostic biomarkers that can be used to stratify patients (or experimental animals) at high risk of developing epilepsy will hopefully soon lead to proof-of-concept clinical trials with the most promising drugs, which will be essential to make prevention of epilepsy a reality. This article is part of the special issue entitled 'New Epilepsy Therapies for the 21st Century - From Antiseizure Drugs to Prevention, Modification and Cure of Epilepsy'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
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33
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Mühlebner A, Bongaarts A, Sarnat HB, Scholl T, Aronica E. New insights into a spectrum of developmental malformations related to mTOR dysregulations: challenges and perspectives. J Anat 2019; 235:521-542. [PMID: 30901081 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has emerged as crucial for normal cortical development. Therefore, it is not surprising that aberrant activation of mTOR is associated with developmental malformations and epileptogenesis. A broad spectrum of malformations of cortical development, such as focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), have been linked to either germline or somatic mutations in mTOR pathway-related genes, commonly summarised under the umbrella term 'mTORopathies'. However, there are still a number of unanswered questions regarding the involvement of mTOR in the pathophysiology of these abnormalities. Therefore, a monogenetic disease, such as TSC, can be more easily applied as a model to study the mechanisms of epileptogenesis and identify potential new targets of therapy. Developmental neuropathology and genetics demonstrate that FCD IIb and hemimegalencephaly are the same diseases. Constitutive activation of mTOR signalling represents a shared pathogenic mechanism in a group of developmental malformations that have histopathological and clinical features in common, such as epilepsy, autism and other comorbidities. We seek to understand the effect of mTOR dysregulation in a developing cortex with the propensity to generate seizures as well as the aftermath of the surrounding environment, including the white matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mühlebner
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Bongaarts
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H B Sarnat
- Departments of Paediatrics, Pathology (Neuropathology) and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (Owerko Centre), Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - T Scholl
- Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - E Aronica
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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34
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Xu Q, Uliel-Sibony S, Dunham C, Sarnat H, Flores-Sarnat L, Brunga L, Davidson S, Lo W, Shlien A, Connolly M, Boelman C, Datta A. mTOR Inhibitors as a New Therapeutic Strategy in Treatment Resistant Epilepsy in Hemimegalencephaly: A Case Report. J Child Neurol 2019; 34:132-138. [PMID: 30514132 DOI: 10.1177/0883073818813238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Hemimegalencephaly is a hamartomatous malformation of one hemisphere. Functional hemispherectomy, the definitive treatment, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in early infancy. Dysregulation of the mTOR pathway can result in malformations of cortical development, and mTOR inhibitors can effectively reduce seizures in tuberous sclerosis complex. We report a 6-day-old female with hemimegalencephaly and frequent seizures despite 9 antiseizure medications. At 3 months of age, while awaiting hemispherectomy, an mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, was initiated by the neurologist. After 1 week of treatment, there was >50% reduction in seizures and total seizure burden, and after 2 weeks, development improved, resulting in deferral of surgery by 2.5 months with an increased body weight. Pathology demonstrated cortical dysplasia with upregulation of the mTOR pathway. Deep-sequencing of brain tissue demonstrated 16% mosaicism for a pathogenic de novo MTOR gene mutation. This case exemplifies how mTOR inhibitors could be considered for seizure reduction in patients with hemimegalencephaly while awaiting surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xu
- 1 Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shimrit Uliel-Sibony
- 1 Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christopher Dunham
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Harvey Sarnat
- 3 Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Laura Flores-Sarnat
- 3 Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ledia Brunga
- 4 University of Toronto, Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Scott Davidson
- 4 University of Toronto, Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Winnie Lo
- 4 University of Toronto, Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Adam Shlien
- 4 University of Toronto, Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mary Connolly
- 1 Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cyrus Boelman
- 1 Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anita Datta
- 1 Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Saletti PG, Ali I, Casillas-Espinosa PM, Semple BD, Lisgaras CP, Moshé SL, Galanopoulou AS. In search of antiepileptogenic treatments for post-traumatic epilepsy. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 123:86-99. [PMID: 29936231 PMCID: PMC6309524 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is diagnosed in 20% of individuals with acquired epilepsy, and can impact significantly the quality of life due to the seizures and other functional or cognitive and behavioral outcomes of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTE. There is no available antiepileptogenic or disease modifying treatment for PTE. Animal models of TBI and PTE have been developed, offering useful insights on the value of inflammatory, neurodegenerative pathways, hemorrhages and iron accumulation, calcium channels and other target pathways that could be used for treatment development. Most of the existing preclinical studies test efficacy towards pathologies of functional recovery after TBI, while a few studies are emerging testing the effects towards induced or spontaneous seizures. Here we review the existing preclinical trials testing new candidate treatments for TBI sequelae and PTE, and discuss future directions for efforts aiming at developing antiepileptogenic and disease-modifying treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia G Saletti
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Idrish Ali
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Pablo M Casillas-Espinosa
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bridgette D Semple
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christos Panagiotis Lisgaras
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Solomon L Moshé
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Einstein/Montefiore Epilepsy Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Einstein/Montefiore Epilepsy Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Aristea S Galanopoulou
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Einstein/Montefiore Epilepsy Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
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Drion CM, Kooijman L, Aronica E, van Vliet EA, Wadman WJ, Chameau P, Gorter JA. Curcumin reduces development of seizurelike events in the hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slice culture model for epileptogenesis. Epilepsia 2019; 60:605-614. [PMID: 30747999 DOI: 10.1111/epi.14667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway could be antiepileptogenic in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), possibly via anti-inflammatory actions. We studied effects of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and the anti-inflammatory compound curcumin-also reported to inhibit the mTOR pathway-on epileptogenesis and inflammation in an in vitro organotypic hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slice culture model. METHODS Brain slices containing hippocampus and entorhinal cortex were obtained from 6-day-old rat pups and maintained in culture for up to 3 weeks. Rapamycin or curcumin was added to the culture medium from day 2 in vitro onward. Electrophysiological recordings revealed epileptiformlike activity that developed over 3 weeks. RESULTS In week 3, spontaneous seizurelike events (SLEs) could be detected using whole cell recordings from CA1 principal neurons. The percentage of recorded CA1 neurons displaying SLEs was lower in curcumin-treated slice cultures compared to vehicle-treated slices (25.8% vs 72.5%), whereas rapamycin did not reduce SLE occurrence significantly (52%). Western blot for phosphorylated-S6 (pS6) and phosphorylated S6K confirmed that rapamycin inhibited the mTOR pathway, whereas curcumin only lowered pS6 expression at one phosphorylation site. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results indicated a trend toward lower expression of inflammatory markers IL-1β and IL-6 and transforming growth factor β after 3 weeks of treatment with rapamycin and curcumin compared to vehicle. SIGNIFICANCE Our results show that curcumin suppresses SLEs in the combined hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slice culture model and suggest that its antiepileptogenic effects should be further investigated in experimental models of TLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cato M Drion
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lieneke Kooijman
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), The Netherlands
| | - Erwin A van Vliet
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wytse J Wadman
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal Chameau
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan A Gorter
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Canpolat M, Gumus H, Kumandas S, Coskun A, Per H. The use of rapamycin in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex: Long-term results. Epilepsy Behav 2018; 88:357-364. [PMID: 30305233 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of eight cases diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and receiving rapamycin therapy because of epileptic seizures and/or accompanying TSC findings. METHOD Rapamycin therapy was initiated at a dose of 1.5 mg/m2. Seizure frequency, electroencephalographic (EEG) findings, renal and cranial imaging findings, and cutaneous lesions over 3- to 6-month periods during follow-up and treatment were evaluated. RESULTS Four girls and four boys aged 4-16 years at the start of rapamycin therapy and now aged 9-24 years were evaluated. Duration of rapamycin therapy was 1-5 years, and the monitoring period after commencement of rapamycin therapy lasted 5-8 years. Positive effects were observed at 9-12 months in three out of six cases of renal angiomyolipoma (AML) and in the second year of treatment in one. An increase in AML dimensions was observed in three cases after treatment was stopped. Seizure control was established in the first year of rapamycin therapy in all cases. An increased frequency of seizures was observed in three cases after the second year of treatment. No seizure recurrence was determined in the second year of treatment with rapamycin in five out of eight cases. Recurrence of seizure was observed in 6-12 months after the discontinuation of rapamycin in three cases. CONCLUSION Rapamycin therapy exhibits positive effects on epileptic seizures in cases of TSC in 1-2 years but these positive effects on seizure control of rapamycin therapy decline after the second year. Larger case series are still needed to determine the duration and effectiveness of treatment in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Canpolat
- Erciyes University Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Talas, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Hakan Gumus
- Erciyes University Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Talas, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Sefer Kumandas
- Erciyes University Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Talas, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Abdulhakim Coskun
- Erciyes University Medical School, Department of Radiology and Pediatric Radiology, Talas, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Huseyin Per
- Erciyes University Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Talas, Kayseri, Turkey.
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Cepeda C, Levinson S, Yazon VW, Barry J, Mathern GW, Fallah A, Vinters HV, Levine MS, Wu JY. Cellular antiseizure mechanisms of everolimus in pediatric tuberous sclerosis complex, cortical dysplasia, and non-mTOR-mediated etiologies. Epilepsia Open 2018; 3:180-190. [PMID: 30564777 PMCID: PMC6293070 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to examine the potential cellular antiseizure mechanisms of everolimus, a mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway blocker, in pediatric epilepsy cases. Cortical tissue samples obtained from pediatric patients (n = 11, ages 0.67–6.75 years) undergoing surgical resections for the treatment of their pharmacoresistant epilepsy were examined electrophysiologically in ex vivo slices. The cohort included mTOR‐mediated pathologies (tuberous sclerosis complex [TSC] and severe cortical dysplasia [CD]) as well as non–mTOR‐mediated pathologies (tumor and perinatal infarct). Bath application of everolimus (2 μm) had practically no effect on spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic activity. In contrast, long‐term application of everolimus reduced spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic activity, burst discharges induced by blockade of γ‐aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors, and epileptiform activity generated by 4‐aminopyridine, a K+ channel blocker. The antiseizure effects were more pronounced in TSC and CD cases, whereas in non–mTOR‐mediated pathologies, the effects were subtle at best. These results support further clinical trials of everolimus in mTOR pathway–mediated pathologies and emphasize that the effects require sustained exposure over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cepeda
- IDDRC Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Simon Levinson
- IDDRC Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Vannah-Wila Yazon
- IDDRC Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Joshua Barry
- IDDRC Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Gary W Mathern
- IDDRC Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A.,Department of Neurosurgery David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Aria Fallah
- Department of Neurosurgery David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Harry V Vinters
- Section of Neuropathology Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Neurology David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Michael S Levine
- IDDRC Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California, U.S.A
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Division of Pediatric Neurology Mattel Children's Hospital David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California U.S.A
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Challenges in managing epilepsy associated with focal cortical dysplasia in children. Epilepsy Res 2018; 145:1-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Brandt C, Hillmann P, Noack A, Römermann K, Öhler LA, Rageot D, Beaufils F, Melone A, Sele AM, Wymann MP, Fabbro D, Löscher W. The novel, catalytic mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR620 and the PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor PQR530 effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and increase seizure threshold in a mouse model of chronic epilepsy. Neuropharmacology 2018; 140:107-120. [PMID: 30081001 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The mTOR signaling pathway has emerged as a possible therapeutic target for epilepsy. Clinical trials have shown that mTOR inhibitors such as everolimus reduce seizures in tuberous sclerosis complex patients with intractable epilepsy. Furthermore, accumulating preclinical data suggest that mTOR inhibitors may have anti-seizure or anti-epileptogenic actions in other types of epilepsy. However, the chronic use of rapalogs such as everolimus is limited by poor tolerability, particularly by immunosuppression, poor brain penetration and induction of feedback loops which might contribute to their limited therapeutic efficacy. Here we describe two novel, brain-permeable and well tolerated small molecule 1,3,5-triazine derivatives, the catalytic mTORC1/C2 inhibitor PQR620 and the dual pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PQR530. These derivatives were compared with the mTORC1 inhibitors rapamycin and everolimus as well as the anti-seizure drugs phenobarbital and levetiracetam. The anti-seizure potential of these compounds was determined by evaluating the electroconvulsive seizure threshold in normal and epileptic mice. Rapamycin and everolimus only poorly penetrated into the brain (brain:plasma ratio 0.0057 for rapamycin and 0.016 for everolimus). In contrast, the novel compounds rapidly entered the brain, reaching brain:plasma ratios of ∼1.6. Furthermore, they significantly decreased phosphorylation of S6 ribosomal protein in the hippocampus of normal and epileptic mice, demonstrating effective mTOR inhibition. PQR620 and PQR530 significantly increased seizure threshold at tolerable doses. The effect of PQR620 was more marked in epileptic vs. nonepileptic mice, matching the efficacy of levetiracetam. Overall, the novel compounds described here have the potential to overcome the disadvantages of rapalogs for treatment of epilepsy and mTORopathies directly connected to mutations in the mTOR signaling cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Brandt
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Noack
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerstin Römermann
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Leon A Öhler
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
| | - Denise Rageot
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Anna Melone
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander M Sele
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
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Drion CM, van Scheppingen J, Arena A, Geijtenbeek KW, Kooijman L, van Vliet EA, Aronica E, Gorter JA. Effects of rapamycin and curcumin on inflammation and oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo - in search of potential anti-epileptogenic strategies for temporal lobe epilepsy. J Neuroinflammation 2018; 15:212. [PMID: 30037344 PMCID: PMC6056921 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-018-1247-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies in various rodent epilepsy models have suggested that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition with rapamycin has anti-epileptogenic potential. Since treatment with rapamycin produces unwanted side effects, there is growing interest to study alternatives to rapamycin as anti-epileptogenic drugs. Therefore, we investigated curcumin, the main component of the natural spice turmeric. Curcumin is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects and has been reported to inhibit the mTOR pathway. These properties make it a potential anti-epileptogenic compound and an alternative for rapamycin. Methods To study the anti-epileptogenic potential of curcumin compared to rapamycin, we first studied the effects of both compounds on mTOR activation, inflammation, and oxidative stress in vitro, using cell cultures of human fetal astrocytes and the neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y. Next, we investigated the effects of rapamycin and intracerebrally applied curcumin on status epilepticus (SE)—induced inflammation and oxidative stress in hippocampal tissue, during early stages of epileptogenesis in the post-electrical SE rat model for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Results Rapamycin, but not curcumin, suppressed mTOR activation in cultured astrocytes. Instead, curcumin suppressed the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that curcumin, but not rapamycin, reduced the levels of inflammatory markers IL-6 and COX-2 in cultured astrocytes that were challenged with IL-1β. In SH-SY5Y cells, curcumin reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, suggesting anti-oxidant effects. In the post-SE rat model, however, treatment with rapamycin or curcumin did not suppress the expression of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers 1 week after SE. Conclusions These results indicate anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of curcumin, but not rapamycin, in vitro. Intracerebrally applied curcumin modified the MAPK pathway in vivo at 1 week after SE but failed to produce anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidant effects. Future studies should be directed to increasing the bioavailability of curcumin (or related compounds) in the brain to assess its anti-epileptogenic potential in vivo. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12974-018-1247-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Drion
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J van Scheppingen
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Arena
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - K W Geijtenbeek
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Kooijman
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E A van Vliet
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E Aronica
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, The Netherlands
| | - J A Gorter
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Russo E, Citraro R. Pharmacology of epileptogenesis and related comorbidities in the WAG/Rij rat model of genetic absence epilepsy. J Neurosci Methods 2018; 310:54-62. [PMID: 29857008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Animal studies currently represent the best source of information also in the field of epileptogenesis research. Many animal models have been proposed and studied so far both from the pathophysiological and pharmacological point of view. Furthermore, they are widely used for the identification of potentially clinically valuable biomarkers. The WAG/Rij rat model, similarly to other genetic animal strains, represents a suitable animal model of absence epileptogenesis accompanied by depressive-like and cognitive comorbidities. Generally, animal models of epileptogenesis are characterized by an identifiable initial insult (e.g. traumatic brain injury), a latent phase lasting up to the appearance of the first spontaneous seizure and a chronic phase characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. In most of genetic models: the initial insult should be defined as the mutation causing epilepsy, which is not clearly defined in the WAG/Rij rat model; the latent phase ends at the appearance of the first spontaneous seizure, which is about 2-3 months of age in WAG/Rij rats and thereafter the chronic phase. WAG/Rij rats also display depressive-like comorbidity around the age of 4 months, which is apparently linked to the development of absence seizures considering both its ontogeny and the fact that drugs affecting absence seizures development also block the development of depressive-like behavior. Finally, WAG/Rij rats also display cognitive impairment in some memory tasks, however, this has not been yet definitively linked to absence seizures development and may represent an epiphenomenon. This review is focused on the effects of pharmacological treatments against epileptogenesis and their effects on comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Russo
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy.
| | - Rita Citraro
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy
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Tang C, Gu Y, Wang H, Wu H, Wang Y, Meng Y, Han Z, Gu Y, Ma W, Jiang Z, Song Y, Na M, Lu D, Lin Z. Targeting of microRNA-21-5p protects against seizure damage in a kainic acid-induced status epilepticus model via PTEN-mTOR. Epilepsy Res 2018; 144:34-42. [PMID: 29751355 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Revised: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Studies have shown that microRNAs play a role in the development of epilepsy by regulating downstream target messenger (m)RNA. The present study aims to determine the changes associated with microRNA-21-5p (miR-21-5p) during epileptogenesis in a kainic acid rat model, and to assess whether the PTEN-mTOR pathway is a target of miR-21-5p. METHOD Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine the quantitative expressions of miR-21-5p and PTEN, and Western blotting was used to test the activity of mTOR in the acute, latent, and chronic stages of epileptogenesis. The antagomir of miR-21-5p was injected into the intracerebroventricular space using a microsyringe. Neuronal death and epilepsy discharge were assessed by Nissl staining and electroencephalography (EEG), respectively. The Morris water maze (MWM) was used to assess the cognitive impairment in rats after status epilepticus (SE). RESULTS Both miR-21-5p and mTOR were upregulated and PTEN was downregulated in rats during acute, latent, and chronic stages of epileptogenesis when compared with those of the control. After using antagomir miR-21-5p in vivo, miR-21-5p and mTOR decreased and the expression of PTEN increased compared with that in the SE model. The silencing of miR-21-5p diminished the number of abnormal spikes on EEG and decreased the number of neuron deletions on Nissl staining. The cognitive and memory impairment caused by epilepsy could also be improved after miR-21-5p knockdown in vivo. CONCLUSION The results of the present study demonstrate that PTEN-mTOR is the target of miR-21-5p in a kainic acid model of epilepsy. The knockout of miR-21-5p decreases the neuronal damage in stages of epileptogenesis. The miR-21-5p/PTEN/mTOR axis may be a potential target for preventing and treating seizures and epileptic damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongyang Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Yunhe Gu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Haiyang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Hongmei Wu
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Yao Meng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Zhibin Han
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Yifei Gu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Wei Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Zhenfeng Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Meng Na
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Dunyue Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Zhiguo Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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Wang F, Chen F, Wang G, Wei S, Fang F, Kang D, Lin Y. Rapamycin provides anti-epileptogenic effect in a rat model of post-traumatic epilepsy via deactivation of mTOR signaling pathway. Exp Ther Med 2018; 15:4763-4770. [PMID: 29904395 PMCID: PMC5996717 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.6004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has attracted much attention in recent years. However, the contribution of mTOR activation to the development of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) remains largely unknown. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the activation of mTOR signaling in a rat model of FeCl2-induced PTE, and to explore the potential effect of its specific inhibitor rapamycin. The results indicated that the expression levels of p-mTOR and p-P70S6K, the overactivation biomarkers of mTOR signaling, increased significantly in hippocampal and perilesional cortex following PTE induction. Notably, they were significantly decreased in the aformementioned brain regions following rapamycin treatment. Furthermore, the frequency and number of behavioral seizures and epileptic brain injury were also greatly reduced. These results suggest that hyperactivation of the mTOR signaling pathway is a crucial mechanism of PTE development, and it may be considered a novel therapeutic target for PTE treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
| | - Fuxiang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
| | - Genbo Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
| | - Shushan Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
| | - Fu Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
| | - Dezhi Kang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
| | - Yuanxiang Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, P.R. China
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Micronization potentiates curcumin's anti-seizure effect and brings an important advance in epilepsy treatment. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2645. [PMID: 29422541 PMCID: PMC5805781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20897-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, and current antiepileptic drugs fail to suppress seizure occurrence in around one third of epileptic patients. Curcumin is a phytochemical with promising effects on epilepsy treatment. However, its application has been hindered by its low bioavailability. In order to improve curcumin’s anti-seizure properties, increasing its bioavailability, here we proposed to micronize the compound through supercritical carbon dioxide processing, a suitable green chemistry technique to prepare and modify material properties. Here we investigated the anti-seizure potential of the classical antiepileptic drug valproate, curcumin in its natural state, and micronized curcumin in a PTZ-induced seizure model in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Concerning seizure development, valproate, curcumin and micronized curcumin showed protective effects, slowing seizure development both in larvae and adult animals. Nevertheless, considering the occurrence of the tonic-clonic seizure stage, only valproate and micronized curcumin reduced it, both in larvae and adult zebrafish, unlike non-processed curcumin. Our obtained results are very promising, since micronized curcumin showed effects that are similar to a classic antiepileptic drug, reducing seizure occurrence and slowing seizure progression.
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Curatolo P, Moavero R, van Scheppingen J, Aronica E. mTOR dysregulation and tuberous sclerosis-related epilepsy. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:185-201. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1428562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Romina Moavero
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Child Neurology Unit, Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Department, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Jackelien van Scheppingen
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), The Netherlands
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Klein P, Dingledine R, Aronica E, Bernard C, Blümcke I, Boison D, Brodie MJ, Brooks-Kayal AR, Engel J, Forcelli PA, Hirsch LJ, Kaminski RM, Klitgaard H, Kobow K, Lowenstein DH, Pearl PL, Pitkänen A, Puhakka N, Rogawski MA, Schmidt D, Sillanpää M, Sloviter RS, Steinhäuser C, Vezzani A, Walker MC, Löscher W. Commonalities in epileptogenic processes from different acute brain insults: Do they translate? Epilepsia 2018; 59:37-66. [PMID: 29247482 PMCID: PMC5993212 DOI: 10.1111/epi.13965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The most common forms of acquired epilepsies arise following acute brain insults such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, or central nervous system infections. Treatment is effective for only 60%-70% of patients and remains symptomatic despite decades of effort to develop epilepsy prevention therapies. Recent preclinical efforts are focused on likely primary drivers of epileptogenesis, namely inflammation, neuron loss, plasticity, and circuit reorganization. This review suggests a path to identify neuronal and molecular targets for clinical testing of specific hypotheses about epileptogenesis and its prevention or modification. Acquired human epilepsies with different etiologies share some features with animal models. We identify these commonalities and discuss their relevance to the development of successful epilepsy prevention or disease modification strategies. Risk factors for developing epilepsy that appear common to multiple acute injury etiologies include intracranial bleeding, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, more severe injury, and early seizures within 1 week of injury. In diverse human epilepsies and animal models, seizures appear to propagate within a limbic or thalamocortical/corticocortical network. Common histopathologic features of epilepsy of diverse and mostly focal origin are microglial activation and astrogliosis, heterotopic neurons in the white matter, loss of neurons, and the presence of inflammatory cellular infiltrates. Astrocytes exhibit smaller K+ conductances and lose gap junction coupling in many animal models as well as in sclerotic hippocampi from temporal lobe epilepsy patients. There is increasing evidence that epilepsy can be prevented or aborted in preclinical animal models of acquired epilepsy by interfering with processes that appear common to multiple acute injury etiologies, for example, in post-status epilepticus models of focal epilepsy by transient treatment with a trkB/PLCγ1 inhibitor, isoflurane, or HMGB1 antibodies and by topical administration of adenosine, in the cortical fluid percussion injury model by focal cooling, and in the albumin posttraumatic epilepsy model by losartan. Preclinical studies further highlight the roles of mTOR1 pathways, JAK-STAT3, IL-1R/TLR4 signaling, and other inflammatory pathways in the genesis or modulation of epilepsy after brain injury. The wealth of commonalities, diversity of molecular targets identified preclinically, and likely multidimensional nature of epileptogenesis argue for a combinatorial strategy in prevention therapy. Going forward, the identification of impending epilepsy biomarkers to allow better patient selection, together with better alignment with multisite preclinical trials in animal models, should guide the clinical testing of new hypotheses for epileptogenesis and its prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Klein
- Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Academic Medical Center and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, The Netherlands
| | - Christophe Bernard
- Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, INS, Instit Neurosci Syst, Marseille, 13005, France
| | - Ingmar Blümcke
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Detlev Boison
- Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Laboratories, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Martin J Brodie
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, UK
| | - Amy R Brooks-Kayal
- Division of Neurology, Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jerome Engel
- Departments of Neurology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Katja Kobow
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Phillip L Pearl
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Asla Pitkänen
- Department of Neurobiology, A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Noora Puhakka
- Department of Neurobiology, A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Michael A Rogawski
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | | | - Matti Sillanpää
- Departments of Child Neurology and General Practice, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Robert S Sloviter
- Department of Neurobiology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christian Steinhäuser
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Annamaria Vezzani
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Institute for Pharmacological Research, Milan,, Italy
| | - Matthew C Walker
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide. Despite many advances in epilepsy research, nearly a third of patients with epilepsy have refractory or pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Despite the approval of a dozen antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) over the past decade, there are no agents that halt the development of epilepsy. Thus, newer and better AEDs that can prevent refractory seizures and modify the disease are needed for curing epilepsy. Areas covered: In this article, we highlight the recent advances and emerging trends in new and innovative drugs for epilepsy and seizure disorders. We review in detail top new drugs that are currently in clinical trials or agents that are under development and have novel mechanisms of action. Expert commentary: Among the new agents under clinical investigation, the majority were originally developed for treating other neurological diseases (everolimus, fenfluramine, nalutozan, bumetanide, and valnoctamide); several have mechanisms of action similar to those of conventional AEDs (AP, ganaxolone, and YKP3089); and some new agents represent novel mechanisms of actions (huperzine-A, cannabidiol, tonabersat, and VX-765).
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Affiliation(s)
- Iyan Younus
- a Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine , Texas A&M Health Science Center , Bryan , TX , USA
| | - Doodipala Samba Reddy
- a Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine , Texas A&M Health Science Center , Bryan , TX , USA
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Kambli L, Bhatt LK, Oza M, Prabhavalkar K. Novel therapeutic targets for epilepsy intervention. Seizure 2017; 51:27-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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Keck M, Fournier A, Gualtieri F, Walker A, von Rüden EL, Russmann V, Deeg CA, Hauck SM, Krause R, Potschka H. A systems level analysis of epileptogenesis-associated proteome alterations. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 105:164-178. [PMID: 28576708 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite intense research efforts, the knowledge about the mechanisms of epileptogenesis and epilepsy is still considered incomplete and limited. However, an in-depth understanding of molecular pathophysiological processes is crucial for the rational selection of innovative biomarkers and target candidates. Here, we subjected proteomic data from different phases of a chronic rat epileptogenesis model to a comprehensive systems level analysis. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network analysis identified several modules of interconnected protein groups reflecting distinct molecular aspects of epileptogenesis in the hippocampus and the parahippocampal cortex. Characterization of these modules did not only further validate the data but also revealed regulation of molecular processes not described previously in the context of epilepsy development. The data sets also provide valuable information about temporal patterns, which should be taken into account for development of preventive strategies in particular when it comes to multi-targeting network pharmacology approaches. In addition, principal component analysis suggests candidate biomarkers, which might inform the design of novel molecular imaging approaches aiming to predict epileptogenesis during different phases or confirm epilepsy manifestation. Further studies are necessary to distinguish between molecular alterations, which correlate with epileptogenesis versus those reflecting a mere consequence of the status epilepticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Keck
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Fournier
- Bioinformatics Core, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Fabio Gualtieri
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Walker
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Eva-Lotta von Rüden
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Vera Russmann
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelia A Deeg
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany; Experimental Ophthalmology, Philipps University of Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie M Hauck
- Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Roland Krause
- Bioinformatics Core, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - Heidrun Potschka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany.
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