Exogenous neuropeptide Y has antiepileptic effects; however, the underlying mechanism and optimal administration method for neuropeptide Y are still unresolved. Previous studies have used intracerebroventricular injection of neuropeptide Y into animal models of epilepsy. In this study, a recombinant adeno-associated virus expression vector carrying the neuropeptide Y gene was injected into the lateral ventricle of rats, while the ipsilateral hippocampus was injected with kainic acid to establish the epileptic model. After transfection of neuropeptide Y gene, mossy fiber sprouting in the hippocampal CA3 region of epileptic rats was significantly suppressed, hippocampal synaptophysin (p38) mRNA and protein expression were inhibited, and epileptic seizures were reduced. These experimental findings indicate that a recombinant adeno-associated virus expression vector carrying the neuropeptide Y gene reduces mossy fiber sprouting and inhibits abnormal synaptophysin expression, thereby suppressing post-epileptic synaptic reconstruction.
Keywords: epilepsy; gene therapy; hippocampus; kainic acid; mossy fiber sprouting; neural plasticity; neural regeneration; neurodegeneration; neuropeptide Y; neuroregeneration; recombinant adeno-associated virus vector; synaptic remodeling; synaptophysin.