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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.11.13.623521

Type I interferon signaling enhances kainic acid-induced seizure severity

Ma, J.-H.·Eo, J.-C.·Lee, C.·Hwang, I.·Choi, J.·Shin, S. J.·Kim, C. H.·Yu, J.-W.
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Abstract

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, yet the role and mechanisms of type I interferon (IFN) signaling in seizure conditions remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that type I IFN signaling exacerbates seizure phenotypes in a kainic acid-induced seizure mouse model. We found that the absence of type I IFN signaling in Ifnar1-/- mice led to decreased neuronal excitability and microglial activation in response to kainic acid stimulation. Conversely, intracerebroventricular injection of IFN-{beta} heightened the severity of kainic acid-induced seizures. In vitro calcium imaging revealed that IFN-{beta} treatment amplified both basal and kainic acid-induced neuronal excitability, though no significant difference was observed in basal neuronal excitability between wild-type and Ifnar1-/- neurons. Furthermore, Ifnar1-/- mice exhibited reduced mTOR activation in the brain following kainic acid administration. Consistent with this finding, IFN-{beta} treatment induced mTOR activation, as indicated by S6 phosphorylation in in vitro mixed glial cultures. Taken together, these results demonstrate the critical role of type I IFN signaling in seizure pathogenesis and suggest that targeting type I IFNs could be a promising therapeutic strategy for reducing seizure severity and mitigating epilepsy.

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Ma, J.-H., Eo, J.-C., Lee, C., Hwang, I., Choi, J., Shin, S. J., Kim, C. H., Yu, J.-W.. 2024-11-16. Type I interferon signaling enhances kainic acid-induced seizure severity. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.13.623521

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