Histological correlates of hippocampal magnetization transfer images in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy patients

Author(s):Show less -

Peixoto-Santos, Jose Eduardo ^{[1, 2]} ; Velasco, Tonicarlo R. ^[1] ; Carlotti, Carlos Gilberto ^{[3, 4]} ; Assirati, Joao Alberto ^[3] ; de Souza e Rezende, Gustavo Henrique ^[5] ; Kobow, Katja ^[6] ; Coras, Roland ^[6] ; Blumcke, Ingmar ^[6] ; Garrido Salmon, Carlos Ernesto ; dos Santos, Antonio Carlos ^[7] ; Leite, Joao Pereira ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Neurosci & Behav Sci, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Paulista Med Sch, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Surg & Anat, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Philosophy Sci & Languages Ribeirao Preto, Dept Math & Phys, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Physiol & Biophys, Ctr Technol & Res Magnetoresonance CTPMAG, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[6] Univ Hosp Erlangen, Dept Neuropathol, Erlangen - Germany

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Internal Med, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL; v. 28, 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Objective: Temporal lobe epilepsy patients (TLE) often present with hippocampal atrophy, increased T2 relaxation, and reduced magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in magnetic resonance images (MRI). The histological correlates of the reduced hippocampal MTR are so far unknown. Since MTR is dependent on the tissue's macromolecules, our aim was to evaluate the correlations between cellular populations, extracellular matrix molecules and the MTR in TLE patients. Methods: Patients with TLE (n = 26) and voluntaries (=20) were scanned in a 3 Tesla MRI scanner, and MTR images were calculated from 3DT1 sequences with magnetization pulse on resonance. Immunohistochemistry for neurons, reactive astrocytes, activated microglia, and extracellular matrix chondroitin sulfate were performed in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues of TLE and autopsy controls (n = 10). Results were considered significant with adjusted p < 0.05. Results: Compared to the respective controls, TLE patients had reduced hippocampal MTR, increased reactive astrocytes and activated microglia, increased extracellular chondroitin sulfate, and reduced neuron density, compares to controls. MTR correlated positively with neuron density in CA3 and with chondroitin sulfate in CA3 and CA1 Multiple linear regressions reinforced the correlations between chondroitin sulfate and MTR. Significance: Our data indicate that extracellular matrix molecules are the most significant histological correlates of magnetization transfer ratio in the hippocampus of TLE patients. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/17882-4 - Drug-resistant epilepsies: diagnostic challenges, associated comorbidities and new experimental approaches
• Grantee: João Pereira Leite
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/20840-9 - Histopathological correlates of magnetic resonance imaging in patients with drug-resistant epilepsies
• Grantee: José Eduardo Peixoto Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral