Nuclear polyadenylate polymerase activity in the brain of seizure-prone EL mice.

ABSTRACT

Nuclear polyadenylate polymerase from I activity in the brains of seizure-prone EL mice was significantly higher than in seizure-non-susceptible progenitor ddY mice. This finding may be essential in acquiring susceptibility to seizures, since there was no significant difference between EL(S) mice and those that did not receive stimulation, EL(NS) mice. Lower form II enzymatic activity was observed in both groups of EL mice but not in ddY mice. Moreover, significantly lower activities of form II 7 days after seizures were found in EL(S) mice compared with EL(NS) mice, suggesting that this is a consequence of repeated seizures. The activity of form I enzyme decreased immediately and at 30 and 60 min after seizures, then returned to control levels at 100 min. Form II enzymatic activity was significantly decreased only at 30 min after seizures, implying that seizures exerted a later effect on form II enzyme. These changes may cause a decrease in the rate of polyadenylation in the brain; thus, alteration of post-transcriptional events, including messenger RNA processing and transport, may occur during epileptic seizures.