Long-term increasing co-localization of SCN8A and ankyrin-G in rat hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus

Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) are important determinants of neuronal excitability which are implicated in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Ankyrin-G contributes to the distribution and regulation of VGSC. Here we investigated the alterations of the two α-subunits SCN8A and SCN1A and their adapter ankyrin-G in the hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) of rats after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (PISE), compared to the sham-control group (C1) and blank-control group (C2). Significant increase of SCN8A mRNA (41.08% increase compared to C1, P < 0.001; 30.88% increase compared to C2, P = 0.011) was detected 60 days after PISE. At D1 SCN8A mRNA reduced but no significant changes were detected when compared to controls (one-way ANOVA, F = 1.232, P = 0.276). After measuring the optical density of Western blot, we detected significant differences between the levels of SCN8A protein in different groups but no difference between the protein levels of SCN1A at D1 and D60 after pilocarpine treatment compared to the control. At D60 the relative copies of ankyrin-G mRNA on internal control β-actin in PISE group increased significantly compared to C1 and C2 (one-way ANOVA, F = 16.537, P < 0.001). Significantly increase of ankyrin-G immunoreactivity in Western blot from the PISE group 1 day and 60 days after PISE was observed, compared to the controls (one-way ANOVA, F = 24.255 at D1, P < 0.001; F = 29.280 at D60, P < 0.001). After analyzing the double-stained cells counting, we detected significant differences between the numbers of SCN8A+/ankyrin-G+ immunoreactive cells in different groups in acute and chronic period following PISE (two way-ANOVA, Fgroup = 37.905, P < 0.001; Fday = 45.310, P < 0.001). The data revealed that both SCN8A and ankyrin-G increased significantly in the CA1 subfield of the rat hippocampus 60 days following pilocarpine induced status epilepticus and co-localized with each other.