Effect of levetiracetam on the gene expression of placental transporters in a murine model

• Published in: Epilepsia (Copenhagen) 2022-05, Vol.63 (5), p.1266-1275
• Main Authors: Blanco‐Castañeda, Ricardo, Zapata‐Vázquez, Yessica, Lazalde‐Ramos, Blanca P., Enríquez‐Mendiola, Daniel, Lares‐Asseff, Ismael, Galaviz‐Hernández, Carlos, Martínez, Gerardo, Sosa‐Macías, Martha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; Disease Models, Animal; epilepsy; Etiracetam; Female; Fetuses; Gene Expression; High-performance liquid chromatography; Humans; levetiracetam; Levetiracetam - pharmacology; Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Mice; Placenta; Placenta - metabolism; placental transporters; Pregnancy; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Transcription; Weaning
• ISSN: 0013-9580; 1528-1167
• DOI: 10.1111/epi.17195

Objective Levetiracetam (LEV) is an antiseizure medication prescribed to women during childbearing age. The impact of LEV on placental transporters is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the effect of LEV exposure on the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of placental transporters for hormones and nutrients and to correlate their expression with the drug's serum concentration in pregnant mice. Methods Studies were conducted on gestational days (GD) 13 and 18, following oral treatment with 100 mg/kg LEV or the vehicle every 24 h after weaning. Serum LEV measurements were performed by High‐performance liquid chromatography with a UV detector (HPLC‐UV). The weight, height, and width of the fetuses were also analyzed. In addition, the placental expression of transporters xCt, Lat1, Oatp4a1, Fr‐α, Rfc, and Snat4 was evaluated through semi‐quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The Kruskal‐Wallis and the Mann‐Whitney U tests were used to determine the statistical significance (p