The epileptic seizures induced by BmK I, a modulator of sodium channels.

Abstract

In the present study, the susceptibility to rat epileptic seizures induced by the intrahippocampal administration of BmK I, a modulator of sodium channels purified from the venom of Chinese scorpion, has been investigated. The results showed that the strong epileptic behaviors and discharges in the hippocampus were evoked by BmK I dose-dependently. The hippocampal c-Fos expression displayed two peak waves in a specific spatio-temporal pattern elicited by BmK I. The whole cell patch clamp recordings showed that the inactivation of sodium currents in rat cultured hippocampal neurons was prolonged significantly by BmK I, and restored partially after washing. These results indicated that the rat hippocampus is a susceptible target for the proconvulsant effects of BmK I, and the induction of epileptic seizures may be ascribed to the modulation of BmK I on the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels distributing in the rat hippocampal neurons.

• Authors: Zhan-Tao Bai, Rong Zhao, Xu-Ying Zhang, Jin Chen, Tong Liu, Yong-Hua Ji
• Journal: Experimental neurology (Exp Neurol) Vol. 197 Issue 1 Pg. 167-76 (Jan 2006) ISSN: 0014-4886 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16229835 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Convulsants
• Scorpion Venoms
• Sodium Channel Blockers
• Sodium Channels
• makatoxin I

Topics

• Animals
• Behavior, Animal (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Convulsants
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Electroencephalography (drug effects)
• Gene Expression (drug effects)
• Genes, fos (drug effects)
• Hippocampus (drug effects, metabolism)
• Immunohistochemistry
• Membrane Potentials (drug effects)
• Microinjections
• Neurons (drug effects, metabolism)
• Patch-Clamp Techniques
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Scorpion Venoms (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Seizures (chemically induced)
• Sodium Channel Blockers (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Sodium Channels (drug effects, metabolism)
• Stereotaxic Techniques