The Temporal and Spatial Changes of Th17, Tregs, and Related Cytokines in Epilepsy Lesions

The cellular and molecular mechanisms in pathogenesis and development of epilepsy are still unclear. Specific inflammatory mediators and immune cells may play an important role. The aim of the present study was to investigate the temporal and spatial changes of Th17, Tregs, and related cytokines in epilepsy lesions. LiCl-pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) rat models were established, sensorimotor function was examined using modified neurological severity score (mNSS), cognitive function was evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM) test, pathological damages were detected by H&E staining and Nissl staining, helper T cells 17 (Th17), regulatory CD4+ T cells (Tregs), and their related cytokines were detected by Western blotting and immune staining. Results showed that Th17 and its related cytokines in epilepsy lesions played a role mainly at acute phase of epilepsy, and they were positively correlated with the pathological changes in the hippocampus and neurological and cognitive dysfunction caused by epilepsy. Conversely, Tregs and their related cytokines mainly played a role at progressive phase and had the opposite effect. Th17 and Tregs restricted each other during the recovery phase to achieve functional balance. Our results suggested that Th17, Tregs, and related cytokines in epilepsy lesions played an important role in the pathogenesis and development of epilepsy and balancing Th17 and Tregs may be efficacious therapeutics for patients with epilepsy.