Niedobór koneksyny 40 zmienia profil czasowy dynamiki tlenu po napadach ogniskowych
Connexin 40 deficiency alters the temporal profile of postictal oxygen dynamics following focal seizures
W skrócie
[Preprint - wstępne wyniki] Badacze zbadali rolę białka koneksyny 40 (Cx40) w unaczynieniu mózgu podczas napadów epilepsji. U myszy pozbawionej genu Cx40 zauważyli, że po napadzie epilepsji dochodzi do większego wstępnego niedotlenienia mózgu i opóźnionego powrotu do normalnego poziomu tlenu, chociaż łączna ilość braku tlenu i czas trwania napadu były podobne jak u myszy normalnych. Wyniki sugerują, że koneksyna 40 wpływa na zdolność naczyń krwionośnych mózgu do powrotu do normalnego funkcjonowania po napadzie epilepsji.
Oryginalny abstract (angielski)
Epilepsy is increasingly recognized as a disorder involving both neuronal and vascular dysfunction. While connexin signaling has been implicated in epileptogenesis, the contribution of vascular connexins to seizure associated cerebrovascular pathology remains poorly understood. Connexin40 (Cx40) is an endothelial gap junction protein that plays a crucial role in vascular communication and blood-flow regulation. Seizures induce dynamic changes in cerebral perfusion and oxygenation, including prolonged postictal hypoperfusion/hypoxia. To determine whether Cx40 influences postictal hypoxia following focal seizures, we examined seizure characteristics and postictal oxygen dynamics in Cx40 knockout (Cx40⁻/⁻) mice using an established focal hippocampal seizure model. Electrically kindled seizures were elicited in wild-type and Cx40⁻/⁻ mice, and local hippocampal tissue oxygenation was continuously monitored before and after seizure induction. Seizure duration did not differ between genotypes, indicating comparable seizure severity. Interestingly, Cx40 deletion altered the temporal pattern of postictal oxygen recovery, producing greater early hypoxia and a delayed secondary rebound in pO₂ despite similar peak oxygen levels and overall hypoxic burden. These findings demonstrate that loss of Cx40 selectively alters the temporal profile of postictal oxygen dynamics without affecting seizure duration. Taken together, the results suggest that endothelial gap junctional communication contributes to postictal vascular recovery and identify Cx40 as a potential modulator of seizure associated neurovascular dysfunction.