The renin‐angiotensin system is upregulated in the cortex and hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy related to mesial temporal sclerosis

• Published in: Epilepsia (Copenhagen) 2008-08, Vol.49 (8), p.1348-1357
• Main Authors: Argañaraz, Gustavo Adolfo, Konno, Ana Carla, Perosa, Sandra Regina, Santiago, Joselita Ferreira Carvalho, Boim, Mirian A., Vidotti, Daniela Berguio, Varella, Pedro Paulo Vasconcelos, Costa, Luciana Gilbert, Canzian, Mauro, Porcionatto, Marimélia Aparecida, Yacubian, Elza Márcia, Sakamoto, Américo Ceiki, Carrete Jr, Henrique, Centeno, Ricardo Silva, Amado, Débora, Cavalheiro, Esper Abrão, Junior, José Antonio Silva, Mazzacoratti, Maria da Graça Naffah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Angiotensin II - genetics; Angiotensin II AT1 and AT2 receptors; Anticonvulsants. Antiepileptics. Antiparkinson agents; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; Cerebral Cortex - pathology; Cortex; Female; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - metabolism; Hippocampus - pathology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Neuropharmacology; NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 - genetics; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 - genetics; Renin; Renin-Angiotensin System - physiology; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sclerosis - metabolism; Sclerosis - pathology; Temporal Lobe - metabolism; Temporal Lobe - pathology; Temporal lobe epilepsy; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0013-9580; 1528-1167
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01581.x

Summary Purpose: As reported by several authors, angiotensin II (AngII) is a proinflammatory molecule that stimulates the release of inflammatory cytokines and activates nuclear factor κB (NFκB), being also associated with the increase of cellular oxidative stress. Its production depends on the activity of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) that hydrolyzes the inactive precursor angiotensin I (AngI) into AngII. It has been suggested that AngII underlies the physiopathological mechanisms of several brain disorders such as stroke, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and disease. The aim of the present work was to localize and quantify AngII AT1 and AT2 receptors in the cortex and hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy related to mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) submitted to corticoamygdalohippocampectomy for seizure control. Method: Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and real‐time PCR techniques were employed to analyze the expression of these receptors. Results: The results showed an upregulation of AngII AT1 receptor as well as its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression in the cortex and hippocampus of patients with MTS. In addition, an increased immunoexpression of AngII AT2 receptors was found only in the hippocampus of these patients with no changes in its mRNA levels. Discussion: These data show, for the first time, changes in components of renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) that could be implicated in the physiopathology of MTS.