RNAseq analysis of hippocampal microglia after kainic acid-induced seizures

Mol Brain. 2018 Jun 20;11(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s13041-018-0376-5.

Abstract

Microglia have been shown to be of critical importance to the progression of temporal lobe epilepsy. However, the broad transcriptional changes that these cells undergo following seizure induction is not well understood. As such, we utilized RNAseq analysis upon microglia isolated from the hippocampus to determine expression pattern alterations following kainic acid induced seizure. We determined that microglia undergo dramatic changes to their expression patterns, particularly with regard to mitochondrial activity and metabolism. We also observed that microglia initiate immunological activity, specifically increasing interferon beta responsiveness. Our results provide novel insights into microglia transcriptional regulation following acute seizures and suggest potential therapeutic targets specifically in microglia for the treatment of seizures and epilepsy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Ontology
  • Hippocampus / pathology*
  • Immunity
  • Interferon-beta / metabolism
  • Kainic Acid
  • Mice
  • Microglia / metabolism*
  • Microglia / pathology*
  • Seizures / chemically induced*
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA / methods*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Up-Regulation / genetics

Substances

  • Interferon-beta
  • Kainic Acid