Effects of cholecystokinin octapeptide on genetically determined seizure susceptibility

Utilizing audiogenic seizure-prone P77PMC rats, the effects of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) on genetic seizure susceptibility were studied in vivo, in cerebral cortical synaptosomes, and in cortical neuronal cell cultures. The results showed that CCK-8 could decrease seizure susceptibility, and that the K(+)-stimulated release of GABA in cerebral cortex synaptosomes from seizure-prone animals was depressed. The presence of exogenous CCK-8 (10(-7) M) together with elevated K+ (25 mM) causes a higher increased magnitude in GABA release from synaptosomes (enhanced by 100%) and cell cultures (17 days in vitro, increased by 177%) derived from seizure-prone rats than the controls (increased by 42%, in synaptosomes; and 107% in cell cultures). These preliminary results raise the possibility that the developmental abnormalities in modulation effect of CCK-8 on GABA release in central nervous system may play a role causing greater seizure susceptibility in genetic seizure-prone rats. The analysis of the brain tissue level and gene-expression of CCK-8 will be the important step of further investigation.