Objective: To explore the relationship between merlin and hippocampal sclerosis of temporal epilepsy.
Methods: The kindling model of epilepsy induced by corciaria lactone (CL) in rats was used. The expression of merlin in neuron of cortex of temporal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region was observed using immunohistochemistry method. Comparison of the amount of neuron with expression of merlin in the two locations was made between the kindled group, non-kindled group and control group.
Results: The expression of merlin in neuron of cortex of temporal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region of the kindled group was higher than the expression of the other two groups (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the expression in the non-kindled group and that in the control group (P > 0.05). The expression of merlin in glial cell of the same region of all groups was seldom seen.
Conclusion: The super-expression of merlin in neuron of cortex of temporal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region of the kindled rats may be involved in the process of neuronal apoptosis and hippocampal sclerosis.