Epigenetic Downregulation of Scn3a Expression by Valproate: a Possible Role in Its Anticonvulsant Activity.
Upregulation of sodium channel SCN3A expression in epileptic tissues is known to contribute to enhancing neuronal excitability and the development of epilepsy. Therefore, certain strategies to reduce SCN3A expression may be helpful for seizure control. Here, we reveal a novel role of valproate (VPA) in the epigenetic downregulation of Scn3a expression. We found that VPA, instead of carbamazepine (CBZ) and lamotrigine (LTG), could significantly downregulate Scn3a expression in mouse Neuro-2a cells. Luciferase assays and CpG methylation analyses showed that VPA induced the methylation at the -39C site in Scn3a promoter which decreased the promoter activity. We further showed that VPA downregulated the expression of methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) at the posttranscriptional level and knockdown of MBD2 increased Scn3a expression. In addition, we found that VPA induced the expression of fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein and FTO knockdown abolished the repressive effects of VPA on MBD2 and Nav1.3 expressions. Furthermore, VPA, instead of other two anticonvulsant drugs, induced the expressions of Scn3a and Mbd2 and reduced Fto expression in the hippocampus of VPA-treated seizure mice. Taken together, this study suggests an epigenetic pathway for the VPA-induced downregulation of Scn3a expression, which provides a possible role of this pathway in the anticonvulsant action of VPA.
['Tan|Na-Na|NN|', 'Tang|Hui-Ling|HL|', 'Lin|Guo-Wang|GW|', 'Chen|Yong-Hong|YH|', 'Lu|Ping|P|', 'Li|Hai-Jun|HJ|', 'Gao|Mei-Mei|MM|', 'Zhao|Qi-Hua|QH|', 'Yi|Yong-Hong|YH|', 'Liao|Wei-Ping|WP|', 'Long|Yue-Sheng|YS|']
D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO D000818:Animals D000927:Anticonvulsants D045744:Cell Line, Tumor D018899:CpG Islands D019175:DNA Methylation D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins D015536:Down-Regulation D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic D017930:Genes, Reporter D006624:Hippocampus D008297:Male D051379:Mice D008954:Models, Biological D062552:NAV1.3 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic D012333:RNA, Messenger D012640:Seizures D014158:Transcription, Genetic D014635:Valproic Acid
Scn3a Valproate Seizure CpG methylation Epigenetic regulation