Redistribution of monocarboxylate transporter 2 on the surface of astrocytes in the human epileptogenic hippocampus

TY - JOUR

T1 - Redistribution of monocarboxylate transporter 2 on the surface of astrocytes in the human epileptogenic hippocampus

AU - Lauritzen, Fredrik

AU - Heuser, Kjell

AU - de Lanerolle, Nihal C

AU - Lee, Tih-Shih W

AU - Spencer, Dennis D

AU - Kim, Jung H

AU - Gjedde, Albert

AU - Eid, Tore

AU - Bergersen, Linda H

N1 - Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PY - 2012/7

Y1 - 2012/7

N2 - Emerging evidence points to monocarboxylates as key players in the pathophysiology of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with hippocampal sclerosis (mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, MTLE). Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) 1 and 2, which are abundantly present on brain endothelial cells and perivascular astrocyte endfeet, respectively, facilitate the transport of monocarboxylates and protons across cell membranes. Recently, we reported that the density of MCT1 protein is reduced on endothelial cells and increased on astrocyte plasma membranes in the hippocampal formation in patients with MTLE and in several animal models of the disorder. Because the perivascular astrocyte endfeet comprise an important part of the neurovascular unit, we now assessed the distribution of the MCT2 in hippocampal formations in TLE patients with (MTLE) or without hippocampal sclerosis (non-MTLE). Light microscopic immunohistochemistry revealed significantly less perivascular MCT2 immunoreactivity in the hippocampal formation in MTLE (n = 6) than in non-MTLE (n = 6) patients, and to a lesser degree in non-MTLE than in nonepilepsy patients (n = 4). Immunogold electron microscopy indicated that the loss of MCT2 protein occurred on perivascular astrocyte endfeet. Interestingly, the loss of MCT2 on astrocyte endfeet in MTLE (n = 3) was accompanied by an upregulation of the protein on astrocyte membranes facing synapses in the neuropil, when compared with non-MTLE (n = 3). We propose that the altered distribution of MCT1 and MCT2 in TLE (especially MTLE) limits the flux of monocarboxylates across the blood-brain barrier and enhances the exchange of monocarboxylates within the brain parenchyma.

AB - Emerging evidence points to monocarboxylates as key players in the pathophysiology of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with hippocampal sclerosis (mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, MTLE). Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) 1 and 2, which are abundantly present on brain endothelial cells and perivascular astrocyte endfeet, respectively, facilitate the transport of monocarboxylates and protons across cell membranes. Recently, we reported that the density of MCT1 protein is reduced on endothelial cells and increased on astrocyte plasma membranes in the hippocampal formation in patients with MTLE and in several animal models of the disorder. Because the perivascular astrocyte endfeet comprise an important part of the neurovascular unit, we now assessed the distribution of the MCT2 in hippocampal formations in TLE patients with (MTLE) or without hippocampal sclerosis (non-MTLE). Light microscopic immunohistochemistry revealed significantly less perivascular MCT2 immunoreactivity in the hippocampal formation in MTLE (n = 6) than in non-MTLE (n = 6) patients, and to a lesser degree in non-MTLE than in nonepilepsy patients (n = 4). Immunogold electron microscopy indicated that the loss of MCT2 protein occurred on perivascular astrocyte endfeet. Interestingly, the loss of MCT2 on astrocyte endfeet in MTLE (n = 3) was accompanied by an upregulation of the protein on astrocyte membranes facing synapses in the neuropil, when compared with non-MTLE (n = 3). We propose that the altered distribution of MCT1 and MCT2 in TLE (especially MTLE) limits the flux of monocarboxylates across the blood-brain barrier and enhances the exchange of monocarboxylates within the brain parenchyma.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Astrocytes

KW - Blood-Brain Barrier

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe

KW - Female

KW - Hippocampus

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters

KW - Neuropil

U2 - 10.1002/glia.22344

DO - 10.1002/glia.22344

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22535546

SN - 0894-1491

VL - 60

SP - 1172

EP - 1181

JO - GLIA

JF - GLIA

IS - 7

ER -