Lestaurtinib (CEP-701) reduces the duration of limbic status epilepticus in periadolescent rats.
Epilepsy Res 2023;
195:107198. [PMID:
37467703 DOI:
10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107198]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The timely abortion of status epilepticus (SE) is essential to avoid brain damage and long-term neurodevelopmental sequalae. However, available anti-seizure treatments fail to abort SE in 30% of children. Given the role of the tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) receptor in hyperexcitability, we investigated if TrkB blockade with lestaurtinib (CEP-701) enhances the response of SE to a standard treatment protocol and reduces SE-related brain injury.
METHODS
SE was induced with intra-amygdalar kainic acid in postnatal day 45 rats under continuous electroencephalogram (EEG). Fifteen min post-SE onset, rats received intraperitoneal (i.p.) CEP-701 (KCEP group) or its vehicle (KV group). Controls received CEP-701 or its vehicle following intra-amygdalar saline. All groups received two i.p. doses of diazepam, followed by i.p. levetiracetam at 15 min intervals post-SE onset. Hippocampal TrkB dimer to monomer ratios were assessed by immunoblot 24 hr post-SE, along with neuronal densities and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) levels.
RESULTS
SE duration was 50% shorter in the KCEP group compared to KV (p < 0.05). Compared to controls, SE induced a 1.5-fold increase in TrkB dimerization in KV rats (p < 0.05), but not in KCEP rats which were comparable to controls (p > 0.05). The KCEP group had lower GFAP levels than KV (p < 0.05), and both were higher than controls (p < 0.05). KCEP and KV rats had comparable hippocampal neuronal densities (p > 0.05), and both were lower than controls (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Given its established human safety, CEP-701 is a promising adjuvant drug for the timely abortion of SE and the attenuation of SE-related brain injury.
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