NF-kappa B activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children with epilepsy

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes and significance of NF-kappa B activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of children with epilepsy. METHODS: NF-kappa B activation in PBMC was assayed by the flow cytometry in 32 healthy children and 64 children with epilepsy before and after treatment. The 64 epileptic children were subdivided into three groups: systemic seizure, partial seizure and unknown classification. RESULTS: NF-kappa B activation in PBMC in three epilepsy subgroups were significantly higher than that in healthy controls. The systemic seizure group showed significantly increased NF-kappa B activation in PBMC compared with the partial seizure group (P<0.01) and the unknown classification group (P<0.05). After treatment NF-kappa B activation in PBMC in three epilepsy subgroups was significantly reduced (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: NF-kappa B activation in PBMC increased in children with epilepsy, and it was positively correlated with the severity of seizures.［Chin J Contemp Pediatr, 2009, 11 (1):44-46］