神经元凋亡与颞叶癫痫患者海马硬化的关系

目的:探讨神经元凋亡与颞叶癫痫患者海马硬化的关系。方法:取24例颞叶癫痫患者手术切除标本,用光镜、电镜及原位末端标记(TUNEL)方法检测神经细胞凋亡;应用免疫组化方法检测细胞凋亡相关基因表达产物bcl-2、bax及P53蛋白的表达。结果:对照组患者光镜、电镜检查及TUNEL染色均未发现凋亡的神经细胞;癫痫组患者光镜检查及TUNEL染色未发现凋亡的神经细胞,但在电镜检查的8例标本中,3例有少量早期凋亡征象的神经元。免疫组化染色结果表明,对照组患者脑组织内bcl-2蛋白无表达,癫痫组患者脑内bcl-2蛋白表达明显增强(P<0.01);bax蛋白在癫痫组与对照组中均微弱表达,两者差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);P53蛋白在对照组中无表达,在癫痫组中表达明显增强(P<0.05)。结论:神经元凋亡部分参与了癫痫患者海马硬化的形成。bcl-2、P53蛋白在这一过程中可能发挥了作用。

Neuron apoptosis and Bcl-2, Bax, P53 protein expression in human temporal lobe epilepsy

Objective: To explore the relations between neuron apoptosis and hippocampus sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods: The specimens were obtained from 24 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, investigated neuron apoptosis by light microscopy, electron microscopy and TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method, and determined the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and P53 by immunohistochemistry. Results: The evidence of neuron apoptosis was not found by light microscopy, electron microscopy and TUNEL method in control group. But some early signs of neuron apoptosis in 3 patients(3/8) were found by electron microscopy in epilepsy group. Unlike that in normal adult brain, Bcl-2 immunoreactivity was observed in some neurons in epilepsy group (P<0.01); compared with normal group, Bax immunoreactivity was not increased in epilepsy group(P>0.05); P53 immunoreactivity was found in some neurons and reactive astroglias in epilepsy group(P<0.05). Conclusion: Neuron apoptosis is involved in hippocampus sclerosis of human epilepsy. Bcl-2 and P53 protein may play a role in this process.