Markers of epileptogenesis in the zebrafish seizure model

Author(s)

Patrícia Gonçalves Barbalho

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas
• Defense date: 2013-07-29

Examining board members

Cláudia Vianna Maurer Morelli; Íscia Teresinha Lopes Cendes; Ana Lúcia Brunialti Godard

• Advisor: Cláudia Vianna Maurer Morelli

Abstract

Danio rerio is a teleost fish popular named as zebrafish that has emerged as a suitable animal model for genetic investigations due to its features such as: facility for in vivo manipulation, transparency during embryonic and larval stages and external development. Recently, It was demonstrated that larvae and adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) seizure model mimics the behavior, eletrographic and c-fos features that are well established in rodent models of epilepsy, making the zebrafish as a promising model for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying epilepsies. However, the potential of the zebrafish model for epilepsy studies has been partly described since the molecular changes and neuronal loss after seizure has not yet been investigated. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1beta (il1b), has shown to be upregulated in surgical specimens of pharmacoresistent patients and in experimental rodent models of seizure, however the profile of this cytokine in zebrafish model for epilepsy is unknown. For this reason, and in view of the importance of inflammatory response in the pathophysiology of epilepsy, we sought to investigate the temporal transcript profile of interleukin-1b (il1b), a proinflammatory cytokine, in adult and immature (larvae) zebrafish brain after Pentylenetetrazole-evoked seizure, as well its aged-related expression in the developing brain by reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR and neuronal death by Fluoro-Jade B (FJB) staining in adult zebrafish brain. Zebrafish breeding was successfully established during this work as well as the protocol for histological procedures using the zebrafish brain. Our results showed a short up-regulation of il1b mRNA levels after seizure in immature and adult zebrafish brain similar as with those patterns observed in rodent models. FJB did not show a reliable neuronal death staining in the zebrafish brain after seizure (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/04496-5 - Epileptogenesis markers investigation in zebrafish animal model
• Grantee: Patrícia Gonçalves Barbalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master