Tau hyperphosphorylation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of forms of human
epilepsy. Here we investigated whether treatment with
sodium selenate, a
drug which reduces pathological hyperphosphorylated tau by enhancement of PP2A activity, would inhibit
seizures in rodent models. In vitro,
sodium selenate reduced tau phosphorylation in human
neuroblastoma cells and reversed the increase in tau phosphorylation induced by the PP2A inhibitor,
okadaic acid.
Sodium selenate treatment was then tested against three different rodent seizure models. Firstly the propensity of 6-Hz electrical corneal stimulation to induce
seizures in adult mice was assessed following acute treatment with different doses of
sodium selenate. Secondly, the number of
seizures induced by
pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) was quantified in rats following chronic
sodium selenate treatment via
drinking water. Finally, amygdala kindled rats were chronically treated with
sodium selenate in
drinking water and the length and the severity of the
seizures evoked by stimulation of the amygdala recorded. The results demonstrated a dose-dependent protection of
sodium selenate against 6-Hz stimulation induced
seizures, and significant reduction in the total number of
seizures following PTZ injection. Amygdala kindled rats chronically treated with
sodium selenate had significantly shorter seizure duration compared controls, with more pronounced effects observed as the
duration of treatment increased. The results of this study indicate that targeting hyperphosphorylated tau by treatment with
sodium selenate has anti-seizure effects in a broad range of rodent models, and may represent a novel approach to treatment of patients with
epilepsy.