The Expression Of TRPC Channels In The Brain Tissues From Patients With Refractory Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Object To investigate the expression of canonical transient receptor potential channels (TRPC channels) in the brain tissues from patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and explore their potential roles in epileptogenesis.Methods This study was based on 27 patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and 8 age- and gender-matched controls with cerebral operations for decompression or debridement. Temporal lobe section was obtained from each subject. Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain was used to determine the anatomic site and pathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of TRPC protein in each group.Results Gliosis was observed, to different extent, in the brain tissues from patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, so were neuronophagia phenomenon and neuronal degeneration. The expressions of TRPC1,TRPC3,TRPC4 and TRPC5 protein were significantly higher in the temporal lobe of patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy than the controls (P<0.05). On the other hand, TRPC6 protein was not detected in either group.Conclusions The expressions of TRPC1,TRPC3,TRPC4,TRPC5 were upregulated in the temporal lobes of patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, which suggests their potential roles in epileptogenesis. The expression of TRPC6 was not detected in patients' temporal lobe in this study.