Expression Pattern Of MC4R In Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients And Lithium-pilocarpine Kindled Rats

Objective: MC4R belongs to the G-protein-coupled receptorsfamily,which distributes broadly throughout the central neuvous systemand was found participating in many crucial molecular cascades.Recentstudy demonstated actived MC4R up regulated the surface expression ofAMPA receptor subunit GluA1, resulting in synaptic accumulation ofGluA1-containing AMPA receptors,thus enhenced the neurontransmitterand neuronal excitability. To investigate the expression pattern of MC4Rin the brain tissue of epilepsy patients and Lithium-Pilocarpine kindled ratsand the mechanism involved.Methods：20brain tissue samples were randomly selected from ourbrain tissue bank, other8brain tissue samples from truma surgery patientswere used as control.52male SD rats were randomly devided into8groups,including control、6h、24h、72h、7d、14d、30d、60d，which representthe acute, sub-chronic and chronic phase of epileptogenesis. Extracted thebrain tissue at different time points. Western blot, immunohischemistry, Double-label immunofluoresence were then applied to detect the dynamicchange of the expression of MC4R.Result:MC4R mainly expressed in the cell membranes and cytoplasmof neuron, which distributed in both neocortex and hippocampus. MC4Rexpression was significantly increased in the temporal neocortex of TLEpatients(P<0.01). In the brain tissue of pilocarpine kindled rat model,MC4R protein expression was increased at each and every time pointcomparing with the control group(P<0.05), and reached the pike point at14d (P<0.01).Conclusion:MC4R expression was markedly increased in the braintissue of epileptic patients and pilocarpine-kindled rats comparing with thecontrol groups.Considering of the involvement of MC4R in numeroussignal pathways and pathophysiological process,our study offered a brandnew target for specific diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy,which wasvalued for the clinical and research significance.