难治性颞叶癫痫患者颞叶皮层金属基质蛋白酶-9的表达

目的研究成人难治性颞叶癫痫患者颞叶皮层中金属基质蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)的表达,探讨其在难治性癫痫发病中的作用机制。方法收集新桥医院神经外科手术切除的成人难治性颞叶癫痫颞叶皮层标本24例,与15例正常对照皮层比较,运用RT-PCR、明胶酶谱法和免疫组织化学方法检测MMP-9在致痫灶中的表达分布。结果在难治性颞叶癫痫患者颞叶皮层中,MMP-9在mRNA、酶活性较对照组明显升高(P<0.05)。免疫组化结果显示,在正常皮层中MMP-9弱至中等强度表达于神经元上,偶见胶质细胞表达,而在致痫灶中强表达于锥体神经元和星形胶质细胞上,免疫染色强度明显高于正常皮层染色强度值:(2.13±0.56)vs(1.52±0.69);相对光密度值:(55.60±7.20)vs(37.10±8.70);P<0.05]。结论难治性颞叶癫痫患者颞叶致痫皮层中MMP-9表达增高可能与癫痫发病密切相关,有可能成为新的难治性癫痫的药物靶点。

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the epileptic cortex from adult patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy

Objective To detect the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) in the epileptic cortex from adult patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE) and to explore the potential role of MMP-9 in intractable epilepsy.Methods Twenty-four samples of temporal cortices from intractable TLE and fifteen cases of non-epileptic normal brain tissues were collected.The expression of MMP-9 in the samples was examined by RT-PCR,gelatin zymography and immunohistochemistry.Results The mRNA level and activity of MMP-9 were significantly higher in the epileptic cortices than in the control cortices(CTX)(P<0.05).The immunohistochemical results showed that MMP-9 was weakly or moderately expressed in neurons and occasionally expressed in glial cells in the CTX.However,strong expression of MMP-9 was observed in pyramidal neurons and astrocytes in the epileptic cortices.The intensity of immunostaining was significantly higher in the epileptic cortices than in the CTX(intensity score: 2.13±0.56 vs 1.52±0.69;ratio of mean optical density: 55.60±7.20 vs 37.10±8.70;P<0.05).Conclusion The increased expression of MMP-9 in temporal epileptic cortex might be closely involved in the pathogenesis of intractable epilepsy,suggesting that MMP-9 might be a new potential drug target for intractable epilepsy treatment.