OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and activity of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) in the temporal lobe of epileptic patients and rat models and explore its role in the occurrence and progression of epilepsy.

METHODSThe temporal lobe tissue of epileptic patients and rat models (induced by lithium-pilocarpine) were examined for SIRT1 expression using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting and also for SIRT1 activity using SIRT1 Deacetylase Assay Kit.

RESULTSImmunohistochemistry detected positive SIRT1 expression mainly in the cytoplasm of the neurons in both human and rat brains, and the epileptic groups showed stronger SIRT1 immunoreactivity than the control group. Western blotting and activity assay showed that the expression and activity of SIRT1 were significantly increased in the temporal lobe of patients with refractory epilepsy as compared with the tissues samples from non-epileptic patients (P<0.05). In the rat models of epilepsy, SIRT1 expression was up-regulated at 6, 24, and 72 h and at 7, 14, 30, and 60 days after kindling (P<0.05) and SIRT1 activity was significantly increased at 6, 24, and 72 h and at 7 and 14 days (P<0.05), with the peak level of SIRT1 expression and activity occurring at 72 h.

CONCLUSIONUp-regulation of SIRT1 expression and activity in the temporal lobe of epileptic patients and rat models may play an important role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy.