Xenon inhalation attenuates neuronal injury and prevents epilepsy in febrile seizure Sprague-Dawley pups

• Published in: Frontiers in cellular neuroscience Vol. 17; p. 1155303
• Main Authors: Cheng, Yao, Zhai, Yujie, Yuan, Yi, Li, Hao, Zhao, Wenke, Fan, Zhenhai, Zhou, Ling, Gao, Xue, Zhan, Yan, Sun, Hongliu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Frontiers Research Foundation 14.08.2023; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Animals; Brain injury; Children; Cognitive ability; Convulsions & seizures; Drug resistance; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; febrile seizure; Females; Free radicals; glutamate; Hypoxia; Inhalation; Juveniles; Learning; Memory; Neonates; neuronal injury; Neuroscience; Oxidative stress; Seizures; Xenon; China
• ISSN: 1662-5102; 1662-5102
• DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1155303

Background Febrile seizures (FS) usually occur in childhood and may cause irreversible neuronal damage, cognitive functional defects, and an increase in the risk of epilepsy later in life. Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), currently used to treat FS in children, can relieve seizures. However, their effects in preventing the risk of developing epilepsy in later life are unsatisfactory. Moreover, AEDs may damage child brain development. Here, we evaluated the efficiency of xenon in treating prolonged FS (PFS) and preventing epilepsy in Sprague-Dawley pups. Methods Prolonged FS was induced by hyperthermic treatment. After 90 min of PFS, the pups in the xenon treatment group were immediately treated with 70% xenon/21% oxygen/9% nitrogen for 60 min. The levels of glutamate, mitochondrial oxidative stress, mitophagy, and neuronal injury, seizures, learning, and memory functions were measured at specific time points. Results Neonatal period PFS led to spontaneous seizure, learning and memory dysfunction, accompanied by increased levels of glutamate, mitochondrial oxidative stress, mitophagy, and neuronal injury. Xenon treatment alleviated the changes caused by PFS and reduced the risk of PFS developing into epilepsy later. Conclusion Our results suggest that xenon inhalation could be a potential therapeutic strategy to attenuate neuronal injury and prevent epilepsy in patients with FS.