SAD-B modulates epileptic seizure by regulating AMPA receptors in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and in the PTZ-induced epileptic model

Braz J Med Biol Res. 2020 Apr 6;53(4):e9175. doi: 10.1590/1414-431X20199175. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors are the predominant mediators of glutamate-induced excitatory neurotransmission. It is widely accepted that AMPA receptors are critical for the generation and spread of epileptic seizure activity. Dysfunction of AMPA receptors as a causal factor in patients with intractable epilepsy results in neurotransmission failure. Brain-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (SAD-B), a serine-threonine kinase specifically expressed in the brain, has been shown to regulate AMPA receptor-mediated neurotransmission through a presynaptic mechanism. In cultured rat hippocampal neurons, the overexpression of SAD-B significantly increases the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). Here, we showed that SAD-B downregulation exerted antiepileptic activity by regulating AMPA receptors in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and in the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced epileptic model. We first used immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry analysis to demonstrate that SAD-B expression was increased in the epileptic rat brain. Subsequently, to explore the function of SAD-B in epilepsy, we used siRNA to knock down SAD-B protein and observed behavior after PTZ-induced seizures. We found that SAD-B downregulation attenuated seizure severity and susceptibility in the PTZ-induced epileptic model. Furthermore, we showed that the antiepileptic effect of SAD-B downregulation on PTZ-induced seizure was abolished by CNQX (an AMPA receptor inhibitor), suggesting that SAD-B modulated epileptic seizure by regulating AMPA receptors in the brain. Taken together, these findings suggest that SAD-B may be a potential and novel therapeutic target to limit epileptic seizures.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Child
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use*
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / chemically induced
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / drug therapy*
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pentylenetetrazole
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, AMPA / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Receptors, AMPA
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Pentylenetetrazole