Mast cell activation ameliorates pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in rats: The potential role for serotonin.

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Mast cells are multifunctional immune cells that are also activated by stress. The effects of activated mast cells on epileptogenesis are not yet known. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of compound 48/80-stimulated mast cell activation on pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizures in rats. Male Wistar rats were separated into seven groups (n = 12). Group-1(NS+PTZ) received intraperitoneal saline solution, while groups 2(C-48/80+PTZ-1), 3(C-48/80+PTZ-2), and 4(C-48/80+PTZ-3) received compound-48/80 at doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg, respectively, 30 min before 45 mg/kg pentylenetetrazole administration. Similarly, Group-5(Cr+C-48/80+PTZ) received 10 mg/kg cromolyn plus 2 mg/kg compound-48/80 before pentylenetetrazole, and Group-6(MC Dep+C-48/80+PTZ) was exposed to a mast cell-depletion process, and then received 2 mg/kg compound-48/80. Group-7(5-HT+PTZ) received 10 mg/kg serotonin. Seizure stages were evaluated using Racine's scale. Compound-48/80 at 2 mg/kg induced anticonvulsive effects against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures by extending onset-times of both myoclonic-jerk and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (p = 0.0001), and by shortening the duration of generalized tonic-clonic seizure (p = 0.008). These effects were reversed by cromolyn (p = 0.0001). These effects were not observed in mast cell-depleted rats. Similarly to compound 48/80, serotonin also exhibited anticonvulsive effects against seizures (p < 0.05). Compound 48/80 acts as an anticonvulsant by activating mast cells in a dose-dependent manner. The anticonvulsive effects of mast cell activation may be mediated by serotonin. Mast cell activation may therefore provide protective activity against seizures under appropriate circumstances.