| In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of oxytocin(OT) on epileptic seizures in rats. Seizure models were produced by penicillin(PNC).Part A,Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley epileptic rats were allocated into 6 groups(Al,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6), group A1, control; in other groups, the rats were given oxytocin Ing (group A2), oxytocin 10ng (group A3), oxytocin 100ng (group A4), oxytocin receptor antagonist [d(CH2)s-OVT] 1μg (group A5),[d(CH2)5-OVT]1μg+ oxytocin 100ng (group A6), into lateral cerebroventricle respectively (n=6,in each group). Part B,eighteen rats were randomly allocated into 3 groups(Bl,B2,B3), group B1, control; group B2,Rats were injected with PNC; B3,Rats were pretreated with oxytocin 30min before the injection of PNC. In part A the electrocorticogram(EcoG) and the electrohippocampalogram(EHG) of the rat seizure models were monitored. In part B, the average optical density of the expression of heat shock protein 70(HSP70) were compared among the groups by immunohistochemistry.We found that the frequency(39.67 ± 6.19spikes/min,t=5.777,p<0.01) and amplitude(540.24 + 71.12μV,t=3.168,p<0.05) of epileptiform discharges increased obviously after the injection of 100ng oxytocin; the amplitude enhanced after the administration of 10ng oxytocin (538.90 ± 55.95μV,t=4.004,p<0.05);and the proconvulsant effect of oxytocin was reduced by the pretreatment with oxytocin receptor antagonist, [d(CH2)5-OVT]. the average optical density of the expression of HSP70 in the cortex and hippocampus were significantly lower in the oxytocin group as compared with in the group B2.It is suggested that intracerebroventricular(i.c.v) injection of oxytocin may potentiate epileptiform discharges of experimental seizures in rats mediated by oxytocin receptor. Oxytocin could attenuate the expression of HSP70 in rat brain followingPNC- induced seizures. Oxytocin might aggravate the neuronal damage via reducing the expression of HSP70. |
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