Kainate-Induced Reorganization the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampus Is Accompanied by Activation of Mitochondrial Fission in the Granular Layer Neurons

The reorganization of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and changes in mitochondrial fission were evaluated using the kainate model of temporal lobe epilepsy. In 28 days after administration of 0.5 μg kainic acid, disturbances in the distribution of neuronal precursors in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus, thickening of the granular layer, and an increase in the content of synaptophysin in the molecular layer were detected. The observed changes were accompanied by an increase in the content of mitochondrial fission regulator protein Drp1 (dynamin related protein) and modification of the mitochondrial network in granular neurons of the dentate gyrus. These observations indicate a significant role of Drp1 in pathological rearrangements of the hippocampus during epileptogenesis and allow considering it as a potential target for pharmacological agents.