Kainic acid-induced F-344 rat model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: gene expression and canonical pathways.

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is a severe neurological condition of unknown pathogenesis for which several animal models have been developed. To obtain a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers of lesion progression, we used a rat kainic acid (KA) treatment model of MTLE coupled with global gene expression analysis to examine temporal (four hours, days 3, 14, or 28) gene regulation relative to hippocampal histopathological changes. The authors recommend reviewing the companion histopathology paper (Sharma et al.

Temporal profile of clinical signs and histopathologic changes in an F-344 rat model of kainic acid-induced mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Since there is limited information in the literature, the purpose of this study was to investigate clinical signs, morphology, and temporal progression of lesions from Days 3 to 168 in a kainic acid (KA)-induced Fischer-344 (F-344) rat model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Following a single KA subcutaneous dose of 9 mg/kg to young adult male rats, 95% survived, 93% exhibited status epilepticus, and 80% eventually developed spontaneous motor seizures. Histopathology included hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), autofluorescence, Fluoro-Jade B, Timm's, ED-1/CD68, GFAP, doublecortin, and Ki-67.

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: pathogenesis, induced rodent models and lesions.

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), the most common epilepsy in adults, is generally intractable and is suspected to be the result of recurrent excitation or inhibition circuitry. Recurrent excitation and the development of seizures have been associated with aberrant mossy fiber sprouting in the hippocampus. Of the animal models developed to investigate the pathogenesis of MTLE, post-status epilepticus models have received the greatest acceptance because they are characterized by a latency period, the development of spontaneous motor seizures, and a spectrum of lesions like those of MTLE.

Development of a percutaneous cerebrospinal fluid collection technique in F-344 rats and evaluation of cell counts and total protein concentrations.

A simple technique for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection was developed in F-344 rats. Cell counts and total protein concentrations were evaluated to assess sample quality. While the 50 to 70 mu L samples of CSF collected on three different days showed a progressive decrease in the total erythrocyte and nucleated cell counts, no significant changes were observed in the total protein concentrations.