The Upregulation of L1CAM by SVHRSP Mitigates Neuron Damage, Spontaneous Seizures, and Cognitive Dysfunction in a Kainic Acid-Induced Rat Model of Epilepsy

TL;DR

A synthetic scorpion venom peptide called SVHRSP reduces seizures and brain damage in a rat model of epilepsy by boosting L1CAM activity.

Contribution

This is the first study to show that SVHRSP has therapeutic potential in epilepsy through L1CAM-mediated mechanisms.

Findings

SVHRSP reduced seizure frequency and severity in a kainic acid-induced epilepsy model.

SVHRSP improved cognitive performance and reduced anxiety-like behavior in rats.

SVHRSP's neuroprotective effects are mediated through upregulation of L1CAM and related synaptic proteins.

Abstract

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common drug-resistant form of epilepsy, often accompanied by cognitive and emotional disturbances, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapies. Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Synthetic Peptide (SVHRSP), isolated and synthetically derived from scorpion venom, has shown anti-epileptic and neuroprotective potential. This study evaluated the anti-epileptic effects of SVHRSP in a kainic acid (KA)-induced TLE rat model. Our results demonstrated that SVHRSP (0.81 mg/kg/day) reduced the frequency and severity of spontaneous seizures. Behavioral tests showed improved cognitive performance in the novel object recognition, object location, and T-maze tasks, as well as reduced anxiety-like behavior in the open-field test. Moreover, SVHRSP mitigated hippocampal neuronal loss and glial activation. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that SVHRSP upregulates genes involved in adhesion molecule-triggered and axon guidance pathways. Western blotting and immunofluorescence further confirmed that SVHRSP restored dendritic (MAP2), axonal (NFL), and synaptic (PSD95) marker expression, elevated the functionally important L1CAM fragment (L1-70), and increased myelin basic protein-induced serine protease activity responsible for L1-70 generation. Blockade of L1CAM expression diminished the neuroprotective effects of SVHRSP, suggesting a critical role for L1CAM-mediated synapse functions. This study is the first to reveal the therapeutic potential of SVHRSP in TLE via L1CAM-associated mechanisms.

Figures