Effect Of Ketogenic Diet On Hippocampus Synaptic Reorganization, GluR₅,GluR₆ MRNA Expression And Editing In Kainic Acid-Induced Model

ObjectiveKetogenic diet (KD) is a high fat, low protein, low carbohydrate diet. Its clinical effect on epilepsy, especially on refractory epilepsy is certain but the underlying antiepileptic mechanism is still unknown. The long-term effect of ketogenic diet on spatial learning and memory during brain development is uncertain now. This research aims at revealing the possible antiepileptic mechanism of ketogenic diet and investigating its long-term effect on cognitive function.MethodsSprague-Dawley rats were induced by kainic acid (KA) at postnatal day 28, fed ketogenic diet and normal diet for 8 weeks respectively. Spontaneous recurrent seizures were observed. Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate rat's ability of spatial learning and memory. Mossy fiber sprouting and neuron damage in hippocampus were investigated by Timm staining and Nissl staining. Western Blot and RT-PCR methods were applied to detect the expression of GluR₅ protein and GluR₅, GluR₆ mRNA in hippocampus. GluR₅, GluR₆ RNA editing at Q/R site was analyzed using the method of restricted fragment length polymorphism.ResultsResults showed KD-fed rats had significantly fewer spontaneous recurrent seizures (1.40±1.03) than control diet-fed rats (7.36±3.75, P<0.05). In the Morris water maze test, no significant differences of the latency to platform were found among the groups. The mean A of mossy fiber sprouting in the inner molecular layer of dentate gyrus was markedly higher in KA induced animals than that in...