D-serine and NMDA Receptor 1 Expression in Patients with Intractable Epilepsy

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression patterns of D-serine and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 1 in the temporal lobes of patients with intractable epilepsy. MATERIAL and METHODS: Cortical temporal lobe brain tissue samples were collected from 20 patients with intractable epilepsy and 6 patients with brain trauma. The expression patterns of D-serine and NMDA receptor 1 were detected by immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients (11 males, 9 females) were included in the present study. D-serine expression was significantly higher in the neurons and glial cells of patients with intractable epilepsy than in control individuals. The mean integrated optical density (IOD) value for the intractable epilepsy group (13.37 ± 1.88) was significantly higher than that for the control group (9.27 ± 0.62, p<0.05). The mean absorbance value of the NMDA receptor 1 protein strip obtained from intractable epileptic patients was 0.4175 ± 0.2321, which was significantly higher than the value of 0.2402 ± 0.1458 for the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: D-serine and NMDA receptor 1 expressions increased significantly in patients with intractable epilepsy compared with control patients. Therefore, the D-serine signaling pathway may represent a potential neurochemical target for epilepsy treatment.