Changes in vimentin immunoreactivity in the structures of the hippocampus in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy is a major public health problem worldwide. In more than 30 % of patients, the disease progresses to drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and requires surgical treatment. A large number of works are devoted to the development of pathogenetic treatment taking into account the molecular genetic status, in particular, the expression of various neuroprotective proteins, including the distribution of vimentin in brain tissues, which belongs to the proteins of intermediate filaments of tissues of mesodermal origin, is of great interest.

PURPOSE OFTHIS STUDY. To study the immunoreactivity of vimentin in the structures of the hippocampus in patients with DRE.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. The biopsy material of hippocampal fragments of 15 patients (6 women, 9 men) with DRE, mean age 32.6 years, was studied. Autopsy material from 7 patients with an average age of 51 years was used as a comparison group. Histological sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin were studied, as well as the results of immunohistochemical reactions with antibodies to vimentin. The result of the reaction was evaluated by calculating the densitometric density of stained cells in 5 fields of view of the dentate gyrus zones, fields CA1 and CA4. Statistical analysis was carried out using the program Statistica v.10.

RESULTS. When studying the histological material of the hippocampus, atrophic changes in its structures were revealed up to the development of sclerosis of various types. When conducting immunohistochemical reactions with vimentin, bright immunopositivity was revealed in the cytoplasm of ischemic neurons, neurons of the granular layer of the dentate gyrus, astrocytes, and microglia. The study of the densitometric density of vimentin-stained cells revealed: in the CA1 nucleus 0,12–0,56 (μ = 0,028±0,008); in the CA4 nucleus 0,014–0,044 (μ = 0,029±0,008); in the dentate gyrus 0,01–0,045 (μ = 0,027±0,009). Statistical data processing resulted in a significant difference according to the Mann-Whitney, Kolmogorov-Smirnov criteria (p <0,05) in all the studied areas.

CONCLUSION. Thus, in the structures of the hippocampus in patients with DRE, there is a significant increase in the immunoreactivity of vimentin in the neurons of the nuclei and dispersed neurons of the dentate gyrus, associated with the activation of neurogenesis. On the other hand, vimentin-associated remodeling of astrocytes with the formation of a glial scar prevents the repair of nervous tissue in the area of the epileptic focus and is a pathogenetic link in the formation of hippocampal sclerosis.

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