Autoimmunity Of Presynaptic Cytosolic Munc18 To Epileptiform Seizure

Immunity, including cellular immunity, humoral immunity, and autoimmunity, contributes to epilepigenesis. Antibody against Munc18 was found in patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis, a childhood epilepsy (Yang, 2000) in our previous work. To address whether autoimmunity of Munc18 protein lead to epileptic seizure, we investigated animal behavior and electroencephalography (EEG) in Wistar rats at the present study. Animals were either immunized by Munc18 or injected with Munc18 antibody. Munc18 protein levels and seizure-related amino acids were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, Western Blot and microdialysis technique. The results were as follows:PartⅠAutoimmunity of Munc18 protein induced epilepiform seizure1.Munc18 antibody was detected at a high titer in Wistar rats, which were immunized with Munc18 protein (peptide).2.Rats developed gradually epileptiform seizure and abnormal EEG with enhanced total power of EEG spectrum during the immunization.3.Munc18 protein levels were significantly decreased at hippocampal CA3 in rats after immunization with Munc18 using immunohistchemistry.4.Glycine, taurine, andγ-aminobutyric acid contents were significantly decreased at rat hippocampus after immunization with Munc18 using microdialysis, high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), and fluorescence detection.