Effect of ascorbic acid on chaperone-mediated autophagy in hippocampus of rats with seizures

AIM: To investigate the role of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) and oxidative stress in hippocampal injury induced by seizures and the neuroprotective effect of antioxidant ascorbic acid (AA) on epileptic rats. METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into control group, group with 24 h seizures induced by pilocarpine, group with 24 h seizures and AA pretreatment, and group of AA treatment alone. Both mRNA and protein levels of lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2a (LAMP2a) were tested by RT-PCR and Western blotting to evaluate the activity of CMA. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also measured by chemical methods. RESULTS: The significant increases in mRNA and protein levels of LAMP2a were found in hippocampus of the rats with 24 h seizures. The level of MDA highly increased and the level of SOD obviously decreased in the rats with seizures. AA pretreatment significantly decreased the levels of LAMP2a and MDA induced by seizures, but increased the activity of SOD. CONCLUSION: Both CMA and oxidative stress are activated in hippocampal injury induced by seizures. AA inhibits CMA and reduces oxidative stress activated by seizures by reducing LAMP2a and MDA, and has a potential antiepileptic function.