Expression of A-type potassium channel Kv4.1 in the hippocampus of rats with pentylenetetrazol-induced epilepsy

Objective To investigate the expression of A-type potassium channel Kv4.1 in the CA1,CA3 and DG regions of the hippocampus in rats with pentylenetetrazol(PTZ)-induced epilepsy.Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control and epilepsy groups(including 3 subgroups: 1,24 and 72 hrs after the epilepsy events).Epilepsy was induced by injecting PTZ.Kv4.1 protein was detected in the CA1,CA3 and DG regions of the hippocampus using immunohistochemical and Western Blot analysis.Results The Kv4.1 protein expression in the hippocampus in the epilepsy groups was significantly higher than in the control group(P0.05).There were no significant differences in the expression of Kv4.1 protein among the three epilepsy subgroups.Conclusions The expression of A-type potassium channel Kv4.1 protein in the hippocampus of epileptic rats increased,and the increased expression of Kv4.1 might play a role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy.