RT journal article
T1 Hormonal and biochemical changes in female Proechimys guyannensis, an animal model of resistance to pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus
A1 Sanabria, Viviam
A1 Bittencourt, S
A1 Perosa, Sandra R
A1 Rosa Macías, Tomás de la
A1 Naffah-Mazzacoratti, Maria da Graça
A1 Andersen, Monica Levy
A1 Tufik, Sergio
A1 Cavalheiro, Esper
A1 Amado, Debora
A2 Neurociencias
K1 neuroscience
K1 zoology
K1 Proechimys guyannensis
K1 Epilepsy
AB The Amazon rodent Proechimys guyannensis is widely studied for hosting various pathogens, though rarely getting sick. Previous studies on male Proechimys have revealed an endogenous resistance to epilepsy. Here, we assess in female Proechimys, whether sex hormones and biochemical aspects can interfere with the induction of status epilepticus (SE). The lithium-pilocarpine ramp-up protocol was used to induce SE, and blood sera were collected at 30 and 90 min after SE, alongside brains, for biochemical, western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. Results from non-ovariectomised (NOVX) Proechimys were compared to ovariectomised (OVX) animals. Data from female Wistars were used as a positive control of SE inductions. SE latency was similar in NOVX, OVX, and female Wistars groups. However, the pilocarpine dose required to induce SE in Proechimys was higher (25- to 50-folds more). Despite a higher dose, Proechimys did not show strong SE like Wistars; they only reached stage 2 of the Racine scale. These data suggest that female Proechimys are resistant to SE induction. Glucose and progesterone levels increased at 30 min and returned to normal at 90 min after SE. A relevant fact because in humans and rodents, SE leads to hypoglycaemia after 30 min of SE and does not return to normal levels in a short time, a typical adverse effect of SE. In OVX animals, a decrease in GABAergic receptors within 90 min of SE may suggest that ovariectomy produces changes in the hippocampus, including a certain vulnerability to seizures. We speculate that progesterone and glucose increases form part of the compensatory mechanisms that provide resistance in Proechimys against SE induction.
PB Nature
SN 2045-2322
YR 2020
FD 2020-12-02
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/34499
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/34499
LA eng
NO This study was funded in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 (AUXPE CAPES 0561/2018), by the Associação Fundo de Incentivo à Pesquisa (AFIP), and by grants from FAPESP, CNPq, and PAEC OEA-GCUB.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 10-may-2026