Cited by 50Epilepsy research and treatmentZebrafish Biomedical Research ApplicationsPharmacological Effects and Toxicity Studies

Identification of GSK-3 as a potential therapeutic entry point for epilepsy.

Aourz, Najat, Serruys, Ann-Sophie K., Chabwine, Joëlle N., Balegamire, Pascal Byenda, Afrikanova, Tatiana, Edrada-Ebel, RuAngelie, Grey, Alexander I., Kamuhabwa, Appolinary R. +6 more·2019·ACS Chemical Neuroscience

Abstract

In view of the clinical need for new antiseizure drugs (ASDs) with novel modes of action, we used a zebrafish seizure model to screen the anticonvulsant activity of medicinal plants used by traditional healers in the Congo for the treatment of epilepsy, and identified a crude plant extract that inhibited pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish bioassay-guided fractionation of this anticonvulsant Fabaceae species, Indigofera arrecta, identified indirubin, a compound with known inhibitory activity of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3, as the bioactive component. Indirubin, as well as the more potent and selective GSK-3 inhibitor 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO-acetoxime) were tested in zebrafish and rodent seizure assays. Both compounds revealed anticonvulsant activity in PTZ-treated zebrafish larvae, with electroencephalographic recordings revealing reduction of epileptiform discharges. Both indirubin and BIO-acetoxime also showed anticonvulsant activity in the pilocarpine rat model for limbic seizures and in the 6-Hz refractory seizure mouse model. Most interestingly, BIO-acetoxime also exhibited anticonvulsant actions in 6-Hz fully kindled mice. Our findings thus provide the first evidence for anticonvulsant activity of GSK-3 inhibition, thereby implicating GSK-3 as a potential therapeutic entry point for epilepsy. Our results also support the use of zebrafish bioassay-guided fractionation of antiepileptic medicinal plant extracts as an effective strategy for the discovery of new ASDs with novel mechanisms of action.

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  • GSK-3β inhibition produces anticonvulsant effects against pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in zebrafish larvae.

    “and produces anticonvulsant effects against pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in zebrafish larvae (Aourz et al., 2019).”

    From Tauopathy and Epilepsy Comorbidities and Underlying Mechanisms (2022) · cites this paper as Aourz et al., 2019

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Authors
Aourz, N., Serruys, A.-S. K., Chabwine, J. N., Balegamire, P. B., Afrikanova, T., Edrada-Ebel, R., Grey, A. I., Kamuhabwa, A. R., Walrave, L., Esguerra, C. V., van Leuven, F., de Witte, P. A. M., Smolders, I., & Crawford, A. D.
Affiliations
  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE)
  • KU Leuven (BE)
  • Salama Neuroscience Center, Bukavu, South Kivu BP 54, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland, U.K.
  • University of Strathclyde (GB)
  • Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (TZ)
  • Experimental Genetics Group (LEGTEGG), Department of Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
  • Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
Corresponding author
Aourz, Najat
Venue
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
Published
2018-10-23
Volume
10
Issue
4
Pages
1992-2003
ISSN
1948-7193 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2898590414
Cited by
49
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5
FWCI
3.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • ACS Chemical Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde) (acceptedVersion)
  • Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion)
  • VUBIR (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (SRP20)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Epilepsy research and treatment
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pharmacological Effects and Toxicity Studies
Keywords
GSK3 inhibition, epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs, indirubin, Indigofera arrecta, medicinal plants, traditional healers, pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures, epileptiform discharges, pilocarpine-induced seizures, kindling, bioassay-guided fractionation, anticonvulsant activity
MeSH terms
Animals, Anticonvulsants, Epilepsy, Indoles, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Zebrafish, Rats, Wistar, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3, Protein Kinase Inhibitors, Mice, Rats

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