Decreased expression of proteins involved in energy metabolism in the hippocampal granular layer of rats submitted to the pilocarpine epilepsy model.

Long-term structural and functional changes in the hippocampus have been identified as the primary physiopathological basis for temporal lobe epilepsy. These changes include reactive gliosis and granule cell axonal sprouting within the dentate gyrus. The intimate mechanisms of these changes are beginning to be revealed. Here, we show the possibility of using laser capture microdissection (LCM) to isolate the dentate granular cell layer of Wistar rats submitted to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) and mass spectrometry for laser-captured cells, we identified molecular events that could be altered as part of the epileptic pathogenic process. According to our results, eight proteins related to energy metabolism were differentially expressed between both the control and pilocarpine-treated animals. These results provide, for the first time, new molecular insights into the altered protein profile of the epileptogenic dentate gyrus and can contribute to a better understanding of the phenomena involved in the genesis and maintenance of the epileptic state.