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Objective To observe the expression of snail in mouse cortex in the model of status epilepticus (SE) induced by kainic acid (KA) and explore the role of snail in SE. Methods Sixty-four adult male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into control group and SE group, 32 mice in each group. Intraperitoneal injection of normal saline was performed in control group; instead, KA was injected intraperitoneally in SE group to induce SE. The organs were harvested 3, 8, 24 and 72 hours post the cessation of each group. Reverse transcription-PCR was used to detect the expression of snail mRNA; the expression of snail protein was tested by Western blotting; the distribution of snail was determined using immunohistochemistry; snail expression in cortex was located by immunofluorescence technique. Results Compared with the control group, mRNA and protein expression of snail in SE group were significant higher, and they reached the peak at 24 hours. Immunohistochemistry indicated weak positive expression of snail in control group. In SE group, it was widely distributed in different cortical neurons and glial cells. Immunofluorescence histochemistry further proved that snail was localized in neurons and astrocytes. Conclusion Snail is strongly expressed in neuron and astrocyte of mouse cortex at KA-induced SE, which indicates snail is possibly related to the attack of SE.

Objective: The pathogenesis of electrical status epilepticus during sleep (ESES) in children remains unknown. We undertook a retrospective study of epileptic children who presented with ESES to investigate the correlation factors of ESES., Methods: Thirty epileptic children with ESES (ESES group) and 30 age-and sex-matched epileptic children without ESES (control group) admitted to Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Tangshan between January 2000 and July 2006 were enrolled. The results of questionnaire and laboratory examinations were compared between the two groups., Results: Nine patients had a family history of epilepsy in the ESES group, but only 2 patients in the control group (<0.05). Language disorder was found in 11 patients in the ESES group, but only 2 patients in the control group (<0.05). Thirteen patients were confirmed with epileptic syndrome in the ESES group, but only 5 patients in the control group (<0.05). Twenty five patients in the ESES group showed mental retardation, but only 5 patients from the control group (<0.01)., Conclusions: ESES may be correlated with family history of epilepsy, epileptic syndrome, mental retardation and language disorder.