Expression β-amyliod Precursor Protein In Serum And Brain Tissue Of Refractory Epilepsy Patients

Objective: β-amyloid precursor protein(βAPP)has been remarked as one of the key factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.Though an abnormal over-expression of βAPP and its fragments were also observed in brain tissue from temporal lobe epilepsy patients,the mechanism through which these protein and peptides involve in the pathophysiology of epilepsy remains unclear.The present study examined the level of βAPP in serum and removed brain tissue from refractory epilepsy patients who received resection surgery,and then analyzed how the results were correlated with each other,and with clinical features,pathology characteristics,resection surgery,and prognosis,discussing the possible role that βAPP plays in the pathogenesis of refractory epilepsy and its clinical significance.Methods: According to the diagnostic criteria for pharmacoresistant epilepsy set by ILAE,43 refractory epilepsy patients were selected from those who underwent operation in Shengjing Hospital.20 serum samples and 5 brain tissue samples were also collected from non-epilepsy patients as contrast.The level of βAPP in serum samples collected before and after operations was examined by ELISA while by IHC in brain tissue.Statistical analysis was conducted between the results,and with clinical factors including sex,age,seizure type and frequency,side and location of lesions,pathology diagnosis and prognosis.Results: By ELISA,it was indicated that βAPP level in serum from refractory epilepsy patients was higher than that from non-epilepsy,and it had little connection with patients’ clinical and pathology features.Besides,receiving operation can hardly change βAPP level in serum.By IHC,staining of βAPP was markedly positive in cytoplasm and axons in brain tissue from refractory epilepsy patients,while there was only a faint staining in control group.Further analysis suggested that βAPP level in brain tissue was significantly higher in patients with hippocampus sclerosis and poor prognosis.The abnormal high expression of βAPP in serum coincided with that in brain tissue,but not in a linear relation.Conclusions: Expression of βAPP was higher in both serum and brain tissue from refractory epilepsy patients than in non-epilepsy ones.The level of βAPP in refractory epilepsy patients’ brain tissue was correlated with pathology diagnosis and postoperative prognosis.Removing lesion tissues in brain cannot affect βAPP level in serum,indicating that the high expression of βAPP may spread widely in brains of refractory epilepsy patients.