Resumo

Purpose: To study cytokines expression and mossy fiber sprounting in the hippocampus of rats submitted to pilocarpine model of epilepsy. Methods: We analyzed 3 periods: acute (24 h), latent (15 days) and chronic (30 days after first spontaneous seizure) and each group has composed by: (A) control (B) lovastatin (C) pilocarpine (D) pilocarpine plus lovastatin. After pilocarpine injection (350mg/kg, i.p.), the rats were treated with 20mg/kg of lovastatin (gavage) after 2 hours of SE onset and blocked after 3h of SE. All rats were treated during 15 days, twice daily, except acute group. The brain was processed for qRT-PCR to quantify IL-1â, IL-6, TNF-á and IL-10 mRNA, Nissl staining and for modified Neo-Timm. The sprouting of mossy fibers was classified by using a crescent rating scale (Holmes, 1999). Results: qRT-PCR showed an important decrease of TNF-á expression in D group, when compared with C group in all of three periods. IL1â and IL-6 also decreased in acute and latent period and IL-10 increased in chronic period. Qualitative analysis in Nissl staining showed that D group show minor neuronal death in CA1, when compared with C group. The neo-Timm Holmes’ score was 3 for C group and 2 for D group, showing a decrease of mossy fiber sprouting. Conclusion: Our data show that the antiinflammatory effects of lovastatin could contribute to control the neuroinflammation and promote the neuroprotection after excitotoxicity induced by SE. Thus it may provide an important approach to inflammation suppression of the pilocarpine-induced epilepsy.