Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kir2.3

Title: Emodin plays an interventional role in epileptic rats via multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1).

Authors: Tao Yang, Bin Kong, Yongqin Kuang, Lin Cheng, Jianwen Gu, Junhai Zhang, Haifeng Shu, Sixun Yu, Xiaokun Yang, Jingming Cheng, Haidong Huang

Journal, date & volume: Int J Clin Exp Pathol, 2015 , 8, 3418-25

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26045880

Abstract
To observe the interventional effects of emodin in epileptic rats and elucidate its possible mechanism of action.Thirty-six female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group (intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid) and emodin group (intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid+emodin intervention). The rat epilepsy model was confirmed by behavioral tests and electroencephalography. The protein levels of P-glycoprotein and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in cerebral vascular tissue were analyzed by western blotting, and mRNA levels of multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were analyzed by real-time PCR. COX-2 and P-glycoprotein levels in the brains were detected by immunohistochemical assay.The seizures were relieved in emodin group. Laser scanning confocal microscopy showed P-glycoprotein fluorescence increased significantly after seizures, indicating that epilepsy can induce overexpression of P-glycoprotein. Compared with control group, protein levels of P-glycoprotein and NMDA receptor in cerebral vascular tissue were significantly higher in model group, and mRNA levels of MDR1 and COX-2 were also significantly increased. Compared with model group, P-glycoprotein and NMDA receptor levels in cerebral vascular tissue were significantly decreased in emodin group (P<0.05), and the levels of MDR1 and COX-2 were down-regulated (P<0.05). In the rat brain, seizures could significantly increase COX-2 and P-glycoprotein levels, while emodin intervention was able to significantly reduce the levels of both.These findings suggest that epileptic seizures are tightly associated with up-regulated MDR1 gene, and emodin shows good antagonistic effects on epileptic rats, possibly through inhibition of MDR1 gene and its associated genes.