Role of Endocannabinoid System in Seizure Sensitivity in Eclampsia

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Project Summary Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, can advance to eclampsia, when the mother displays novel seizures. The mechanisms that cause some preeclampsia patients to advance to eclampsia are unknown. The long-term goals are to identify therapeutic targets to prevent seizures in pregnancy and preeclampsia and to pursue a career as an academic scientist. The overall objectives of this application are to: 1) identify whether the endocannabinoid system is involved in increased seizure sensitivity in preclinical model of eclampsia, and 2) provide me the additional training to establish a successful career as an academic scientist. The central hypothesis is that changes in cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) activity is impaired following reduced utero-placental perfusion (RUPP) and that impaired CB1R activation increases seizure severity. The rationale for this project is that the rat RUPP model showed increased seizure susceptibility; however, the contributing factors are not fully known. Additionally, seizures occur when brain activity is not effectively modulated and the endocannabinoid system has been shown to modulate neuronal activity and play a significant role in seizure activity. Our preliminary work shows abnormal expression of enzymes important for endocannabinoid system activity in a mouse RUPP model. Because these enzymes play an important role in modulating CB1R activity, it is possible that the RUPP interferes with the endocannabinoid system’s ability to modulate neuronal activity and thus increases sensitivity to seizures. Aim 1 will determine whether RUPP impairs CB1R activity and whether modulating CB1R activity increases seizure severity following RUPP. My postdoctoral plans in Aim 2 focus on the offspring and will determine whether disrupting the endocannabinoid system during pregnancy leads to sex-specific differences in epilepsy in the adolescent offspring. This application is innovative because it combines a clinically-relevant preclinical model of eclampsia with a well-established neuronal modulator, the endocannabinoids, thus having the potential to identify a novel therapeutic target. This grant will also allow for the continued career development and success of a very promising neuroscientist.