Increased activation of Iba1+ microglia in pediatric epilepsy patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis compared with cortical dysplasia and tuberous sclerosis complex

Martin Wirenfeldt; Ryan Clare; Spencer Tung; Alexander Bottini; Gary W. Mathern; Harry V. Vinters

Neurobiology of Disease (Jun 2009)

Increased activation of Iba1+ microglia in pediatric epilepsy patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis compared with cortical dysplasia and tuberous sclerosis complex

Martin Wirenfeldt,
Ryan Clare,
Spencer Tung,
Alexander Bottini,
Gary W. Mathern,
Harry V. Vinters

Affiliations

Martin Wirenfeldt: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Corresponding author. Fax: +1 (310) 206 8290.
Ryan Clare: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Spencer Tung: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Alexander Bottini: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Gary W. Mathern: Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Brain Research Institute, and The Mental Retardation Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Harry V. Vinters: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Brain Research Institute, and The Mental Retardation Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 34, no. 3
pp. 432 – 440

Abstract

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Microgliosis is prominent in Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE), a disease with severe seizure activity. However, it is unclear if microglial activation is similar with different histopathologic substrates. Iba1-immunolabelled microglial activation was assessed in neocortex from pediatric epilepsy surgery patients with RE (n=8), cortical dysplasia (CD; n=6) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC; n=6). Microglial reactivity was increased, in severely affected RE areas (29% labeling) compared with minimally affected areas of RE cases (15%) and cases of TSC (14%) and CD (12%). There was no qualitative association of Iba1 immunolabelling with the presence of CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells and no statistical association with clinical epilepsy variables, such as seizure duration or frequency. Iba1 appears to be an excellent marker for detecting extensive microglial activation in patients with RE. In addition, this study supports the notion that Iba1-labeled microglial activation is increased in patients with active RE, compared with cases of CD and TSC.

Published in Neurobiology of Disease

ISSN: 0969-9961 (Print); 1095-953X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neurobiology-of-disease

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