A single dose of kainic acid elevates the levels of enkephalins and activator protein-1 transcription factors in the hippocampus for up to 1 year

Guoying Bing, Belinda Wilson, Pearlie Hudson, Lei Jin, Zhehui Feng, Wanqin Zhang, Renjie Bing, Jau Shyong Hong

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Abstract

Neuronal plasticity plays a very important role in brain adaptations to environmental stimuli, disease, and aging processes. The kainic acid model of temporal lobe epilepsy was used to study the long-term anatomical and biochemical changes in the hippocampus after seizures. Using Northern blot analysis, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot analysis, we have found a long-term elevation of the proconvulsive opioid peptide, enkephalin, in the rat hippocampus. We have also demonstrated that an activator protein-1 transcription factor, the 35-kDa fos-related antigen, can be induced and elevated for at least 1 year after kainate treatment. This study demonstrated that a single systemic injection of kainate produces almost permanent increases in the enkephalin and an activator protein-1 transcription factor, the 35-kDa fos-related antigen, in the rat hippocampus, and it is likely that these two events are closely associated with the molecular mechanisms of induction of long-lasting enhanced seizure susceptibility in the kainate- induced seizure model. The long-term expression of the proenkephalin mRNA and its peptides in the kainate-treated rat hippocampus also suggests an important role in the recurrent seizures of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9422-9427
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume94
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 19 1997

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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