Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizure Up-Regulates Levels of Microtubule-Associated Protein 1B mRNA and Protein in the Hippocampus of the Rat

Abstract: Stimuli that evoke seizure are capable of inducing structural changes in the hippocampus. However, late-acting genes related to these changes have not been described. Administration of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ; 50 mg/kg) to rats of various ages evoked tonic-clonic seizures. Using RNA gel blot analysis we found that the level of the mRNA for microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B) was robustly increased in the hippocampus of 3-month-old rats. The levels of MAP1B mRNA in hippocampus peaked at 40 h and began to decline by 72 h following PTZ treatment. Immunoblotting with anti-MAP1B antibody demonstrates the increase in content of immunoreactive proteins 40–72 h after seizure onset in the hippocampus of PTZ-treated rats. These results indicate that MAP1B is a sensitive indicator of hippocampal structural changes occurring in response to PTZ-induced seizure activity.