Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0036572 (seizures)
 80,221 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Selective hippocampal cell loss and altered neurotransmitter receptor expression have been proposed as pathogenic mechanisms in the development of chronic mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Studies in animal models point to metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) as modulators of hippocampal epileptogenesis. In addition, mGluRs may constitute specific targets for the development of novel anticonvulsive drugs. As mGluR4 represents an inhibitory class III mGluR associated with the reduction of intracellular cyclic AMP levels and calcium influx, we have analyzed the regional and cellular expression of mGluR4 in surgical hippocampal specimens obtained from patients with TLE by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Although the hippocampi of control specimens (n = 11) were almost devoid of mGluR4 immunolabeling, all TLE specimens (n = 35) showed a striking up-regulation of mGluR4 immunoreactivity, in particular within the dentate gyrus. Immunoelectron microscopy localized the receptor protein to the periphery of presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes. In situ hybridization revealed increased transcript levels of mGluR4 in dentate granule cells and residual CA4 neurons of TLE specimens compared with controls. Our results suggest a potential role of mGluR4 in counteracting excitatory hippocampal activity and in modulating seizure-associated vulnerability of hippocampal neurons. These data may also provide a basis for pharmacological studies of mGluR4 agonists as potential novel drugs in the treatment of TLE.
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PMID:Up-regulation of the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR4 in hippocampal neurons with reduced seizure vulnerability. 1063 98

Adenosine, through activation of membrane-bound receptors, has been reported to have neuroprotective properties during strokes or seizures. The role of astrocytes in regulating brain interstitial adenosine levels has not been clearly defined. We have determined the nucleoside transporters present in rat C6 glioma cells. RT-PCR analysis, (3)H-nucleoside uptake experiments, and [(3)H]nitrobenzylthioinosine ([(3)H]NBMPR) binding assays indicated that the primary functional nucleoside transporter in C6 cells was rENT2, an equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT) that is relatively insensitive to inhibition by NBMPR. [(3)H]Formycin B, a poorly metabolized nucleoside analogue, was used to investigate nucleoside release processes, and rENT2 transporters mediated [(3)H]formycin B release from these cells. Adenosine release was investigated by first loading cells with [(3)H]adenine to label adenine nucleotide pools. Tritium release was initiated by inhibiting glycolytic and oxidative ATP generation and thus depleting ATP levels. Our results indicate that during ATP-depleting conditions, AMP catabolism progressed via the reactions AMP --> IMP --> inosine --> hypoxanthine, which accounted for >90% of the evoked tritium release. It was surprising that adenosine was not released during ATP-depleting conditions unless AMP deaminase and adenosine deaminase were inhibited. Inosine release was enhanced by inhibition of purine nucleoside phosphorylase; ENT2 transporters mediated the release of adenosine or inosine. However, inhibition of AMP deaminase/adenosine deaminase or purine nucleoside phosphorylase during ATP depletion produced release of adenosine or inosine, respectively, via the rENT2 transporter. This indicates that C6 glioma cells possess primarily rENT2 nucleoside transporters that function in adenosine uptake but that intracellular metabolism prevents the release of adenosine from these cells even during ATP-depleting conditions.
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PMID:Purine uptake and release in rat C6 glioma cells: nucleoside transport and purine metabolism under ATP-depleting conditions. 1098 33

Impaired energy metabolism may play a critical role in the neuronal injury caused by kainic acid (KA) induced status epilepticus (SE). Following an acute dose of KA (15 mg/kg, s.c.) rats developed SE within 1 h. Rats were sacrificed 1 or 72 h after the onset of SE using a head focused microwave technique and the brain regions (pyriform cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus) were assayed for energy metabolites: ATP, ADP, AMP, phosphocreatine (PCr) and creatine (Cr) using reversed-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC). Control values were significantly higher in cortex (23-32%) than in other brain regions. Within 1 h, SE caused a marked decline in ATP (44-56%), PCr (49-64%), total adenine nucleotides (TAN, 45-50%) and total creatine compounds (TCC, 32-51%). Within three days, the hippocampus showed the greatest recovery, as the reduced values returned to normal. Pretreatment of rats with an antioxidant (PBN, 200 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min prior to KA; or vitamin E (Vit-E), 100 mg/kg, i.p./day for 3 days), which did not prevent seizure activity, attenuated depletion of high-energy phosphates caused by KA. These findings suggest that the depletion of energy metabolites caused by KA-induced seizures may be linked to oxidative stress mediated toxicity.
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PMID:Seizure-induced changes in energy metabolites and effects of N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PNB) and vitamin E in rats. 1100 54

The effects of amphetamine on potential changes in both vertebrate and invertebrate central neurons and factors affecting the potential changes were tested. The animals studied included mice, newborn rat and African snail. Seizure was elicited after lethal doses of d-amphetamine (75 mg/kg, i.p.) administration in mice. Repetitive firing of the action potentials were elicited after d-amphetamine (1-30 microM) administration in thin thalamic brain slices of newborn rat. Bursting firing of action potentials in the giant African central RP4 neuron were also elicited after d-amphetamine or l-amphetamine (0.27 mM) administration. The amphetamine elicited bursting firing of action potentials was not blocked even after high concentrations of d-tubocurarine, atropine, haloperidol, hexamethonium administration. Therefore, the amphetamine elicited potential changes may not be directly related to the activation of the receptors of the neuron. The bursting firing of action potentials elicited by amphetamine occurred 20-30 min after amphetamine administration extracellularly, even after high concentrations of d-amphetamine administration (0.27, 1 mM). However, the bursting firing of potentials occurred immediately if amphetamine was administrated intracellularly at lower concentration. Extracellular application of ruthenium red, the calcium antagonist, abolished the amphetamine elicited bursting firing of action potentials. If intracellular injection of EGTA, a calcium ion chelator, or injection with high concentrations of magnesium, the bursting firing of potentials were immediately abolished. These results suggested that the active site of amphetamine may be inside of the neuron and the calcium ion in the neuron played an important role on the bursting of potentials. In two-electrode voltage clamped RP4 neuron, amphetamine, at 0.27 mM, decreased the total inward and steady outward currents of the RP4 neuron. d-Amphetamine also decreased the calcium, Ia and the steady-state outward currents of the RP4 neuron. Besides, amphetamine elicited a negative slope resistance (NSR) if membrane potential was in the range of -50 to -10 mV. The NSR was decreased in cobalt substituted calcium free and sodium free solution. The effects of secondary messengers on the amphetamine elicited potential changes were tested. The bursting firing of action potentials elicited by amphetamine in central snail neurons decreased following extracellular application of H8 (N-(2-methyl-amino) ethyl-3-isoquinoline sulphonamide dihydrochloride), a specific protein kinase A inhibitor and anisomycin, a protein synthesis inhibitor. However, the bursting firing of action potentials were not affected after extracellular application of H7 (1,(5-isoquinolinesulphonyl)-2-methylpiperasine dihydrochloride), a specific protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, or intracellular application of GDPbetaS, a G protein inhibitor. The oscillation of membrane potential of the bursting activity was blocked after intracellular injection of 3'-deoxyadenosine, an adenylyl-cyclase inhibitor. These results suggested that the bursting firing of action potentials elicited by d-amphetamine in snail neuron may be associated with the cyclic AMP second messenger system; on the other hand, it may not be associated with the G protein and protein kinase C activity. It is concluded that amphetamine elicited potential changes in both vertebrate and invertebrate central neurons. The changes are closely related to the ionic currents and second messengers of the neurons.
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PMID:Amphetamine elicited potential changes in vertebrate and invertebrate central neurons. 1103 52

If febrile seizures cause significant compromise of neuronal metabolism (whether permanent or reversible), this should be reflected in an increase in the cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and/or adenosine triphosphate (ATP) breakdown products. In the present study, AMP, IMP, inosine, adenosine, guanosine, adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, uric acid and NSE concentrations were determined in the cerebrospinal fluid of 90 children 1 h after febrile seizure (73 simple febrile seizures (SFS); 17 complex febrile seizures (CFS)), and in a control group of 160 children. There was no statistically significant difference between the SFS group and the control group for any of the substances determined, suggesting that SFS neither significantly depletes neuronal ATP concentration, nor significantly increases NSE concentration; thus, SFS do not appear to constitute a threat to neuronal integrity. However, patients with CFS showed significantly lower IMP concentrations and significantly higher adenine concentrations than controls, and significantly higher AMP concentrations than SFS patients; these results suggest that CFS may affect energy metabolism in the brain. However, NSE concentrations were normal in the cerebrospinal fluid of both SFS and CFS patients, suggesting that neither type of seizure causes significant neuronal damage, at least early after the seizure.
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PMID:Cerebrospinal fluid purine metabolite and neuron-specific enolase concentrations after febrile seizures. 1110 27

To characterize seizure-associated increases in cerebral cortical and thalamic cyclic AMP responsive element (CRE)- and activator protein 1 (AP-1) DNA-binding activities in lethargic (lh/lh) mice, a genetic model of absence seizures, we examined the effects of ethosuximide and CGP 46381 on these DNA-binding activities. Repeated administration (twice a day for 5 days) of ethosuximide (200 mg/kg) or CGP 46381 (60 mg/kg) attenuated both seizure behavior and the increased DNA-binding activities, and was more effective than a single administration of these drugs. These treatments did not affect either normal behavior or basal DNA-binding activities in non-epileptic control (+/+) mice. Gel supershift assays revealed that the increased CRE-binding activity was attributable to activation of the binding activity of CREB, and that the c-Fos-c-Jun complex was a component of the increased AP-1 DNA-binding activity.
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PMID:Repeated administration of CGP 46381, a gamma-aminobutyric acidB antagonist, and ethosuximide suppresses seizure-associated cyclic adenosine 3'5' monophosphate response element- and activator protein-1 DNA-binding activities in lethargic (lh/lh) mice. 1113 64

Acute effects of seizure-inducing doses of the organophosphate compound diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP, 1.25 mg/kg s.c.) or the carbamate insecticide carbofuran (CF, 1.25 mg/kg s.c.) on nitric oxide (NO) were studied in the brain of rats. Brain regions (pyriform cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus) were assayed for citrulline as the determinant of NO and for high-energy phosphates (ATP and phosphocreatine) as well as their major metabolites (ADP, AMP, and creatine). Rats, anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/kg i.p.), were killed using a head-focused microwave (power, 10 kW; duration, 1.7 s). Analyses of brain regions of controls revealed significantly higher levels of citrulline in the amygdala (289.8+/-7.0 nmol/g), followed by the hippocampus (253.8+/-5.5 nmol/g), and cortex (121.7+/-4.3 nmol/g). Levels of energy metabolites were significantly higher in cortex than in amygdala or hippocampus. Within 5 min of CF injection, the citrulline levels were markedly elevated in all three brain regions examined, while with DFP treatment, only the cortex levels were elevated at this time. With either acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, the maximum increase in citrulline levels was noted 30 min post-injection (> 6- to 7-fold in the cortex, and > 3- to 4-fold in the amygdala or hippocampus). Within 1 h following DFP or CF injection, marked declines in ATP (36-60%) and phosphocreatine (28-53%) were seen. Total adenine nucleotides and total creatine compounds were reduced (36 58% and 28-48%, respectively). The inverse relationship between the increase in NO and the decease in high-energy phosphates, could partly be due to NO-induced impaired mitochondrial respiration leading to depletion of energy metabolites. Pretreatment of rats with an antioxidant, the spin trapping agent N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN, 200 mg/kg i.p.), prevented DFP- or CF-induced seizures, while the antioxidant vitamin E (100 mg/kg i.p. per day for 3 days) had no anticonvulsant effect. Both antioxidants, however, significantly prevented the increase of citrulline and the depletion of high-energy phosphates. It is concluded that seizures induced by DFP and CF produce oxidative stress due to a marked increase in NO, causing mitochondrial dysfunction, and thereby depleting neuronal energy metabolites. PBN pretreatment provides protection against AChE inhibitor-induced oxidative stress mainly by preventing seizures. Additional antioxidant actions of PBN may contribute to its protective effects. Vitamin E has direct antioxidant effects by preventing excessive NO production.
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PMID:Nitric oxide modulates high-energy phosphates in brain regions of rats intoxicated with diisopropylphosphorofluoridate or carbofuran: prevention by N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone or vitamin E. 1157 Jun 92

N-(2,5-Dibromo-3-fluorophenyl)-4-methoxy-3-piperazin-1-ylbenzenesulfonamide (SB-357134) potently inhibited [125I]SB-258585 and [3H]LSD binding in a HeLa cell line expressing human 5-HT(6) receptors (pK(i)=8.6 and 8.54, respectively). Furthermore, SB-357134 inhibited [125I]SB-258585 binding in human caudate--putamen and in rat and pig striatum membranes (pK(i)=8.82, 8.44, and 8.61, respectively). SB-357134 displayed over 200-fold selectivity for the 5-HT(6) receptor versus 72 other receptors and enzymes. 5-HT-stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in human 5-HT(6) receptors was competitively antagonised by SB-357134 (pA(2)=7.63). SB-357134 inhibited ex vivo [125I]SB-258585 binding in the rat with an ED(50) of 4.9 +/- 1.3 mg/kg po, 4 h postdose. In the rat maximal electroshock seizure threshold (MEST) test, SB-357134 produced a potent and dose-dependent increase in seizure threshold, with a minimum effective dose of 0.1 mg/kg po. At 10 mg/kg po, maximum activity occurred between 4 and 6 h postdose. Good exposure was observed with SB-357134 at 10 mg/kg po, reaching maximal blood and brain concentrations of 4.3 +/- 0.2 and 1.3 +/- 0.06 microM, respectively, 1 h postdose. In addition, SB-357134 (10 mg/kg po) enhanced memory and learning following chronic administration (twice a day for 7 days) in the rat water maze. Overall, these studies demonstrate that SB-357134 is a potent, selective, brain penetrant, and orally active 5-HT(6) receptor antagonist.
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PMID:Pharmacological profile of SB-357134: a potent, selective, brain penetrant, and orally active 5-HT(6) receptor antagonist. 1188 56

Adenosine has been shown to be a major regulator in convulsive disorders exerting its anticonvulsant effects on various seizure models. The ectonucleotidase pathway is an important metabolic source of extracellular adenosine. In this study, we evaluated ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis in rat serum after a single convulsive injection of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). The animals were sacrificed at 5 and 30 min, 1, 5, 12, 24 and 48 h after an intraperitoneal injection of PTZ (60 mg/kg). ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis by rat blood serum were significantly increased (40-50%) until 24 h after PTZ injection. There were no significant differences in the nucleotide hydrolysis when the in vitro effect of different concentrations of PTZ was analyzed. Changes in nucleotide hydrolysis observed after acute administration of PTZ could not be attributed to phosphodiesterase activity since PTZ-treated rats did not demonstrate significant differences in the hydrolysis of the substrate marker of this enzyme when compared with control rats. These results suggest that the stimulation of the nucleotidase pathway may play an important role in attenuating seizure activity.
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PMID:Increase of nucleotidase activities in rat blood serum after a single convulsive injection of pentylenetetrazol. 1210 46

There is growing pharmacological evidence from several animal models of seizure disorders that adenosine possesses endogenous anticonvulsant activity. Apart from being released from cells, adenosine can be produced by the degradation of adenine nucleotides by ectoenzymes or soluble nucleotidases. These enzymes constitute an important mechanism in synaptic modulation, as they hydrolyze ATP, an excitatory neurotransmitter, to adenosine, a neuroprotective compound. We recently demonstrated an increase in ectoenzyme activity in rat brain synaptosomes after pentylenetetrazol-kindling in rats resistant to kindling, suggesting a role for ectonucleotidases in the seizure control. The present work investigates the effect of seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol kindling on the enzymes that could be playing a role in ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis to adenosine in rat blood serum. Animals received injections of PTZ (30 mg/kg, i.p., dissolved in 0.9% saline) once every 48 h, totaling 10 stimulations and the controls animals were injected with saline. The hydrolysis of ATP, ADP and AMP were significantly increased (42, 40, and 45%, respectively), while phosphodiesterase activity was unchanged. These results suggest once more that an increase in the ATP diphosphohydrolase and 5'-nucleotidase activities and, possibly, in adenosine levels, could represent an important compensatory mechanism in the development of chronic epilepsy. Moreover, the fact that this increase can also be measured in serum could mean that these enzymes might be useful as plasma markers of seizures in epilepsy.
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PMID:Changes in nucleotide hydrolysis in rat blood serum induced by pentylenetetrazol-kindling. 1282 24


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