Transcranial photobiomodulation (808 nm) attenuates pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures by suppressing hippocampal neuroinflammation, astrogliosis, and microgliosis in peripubertal rats.

Significance: Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) at 808 nm attenuates pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) in peripubertal rats by protecting neurons from injury and parvalbumin-positive interneurons from apoptosis, and preserving the integrity of perisomatic inhibitory networks. However, the effects of tPBM on neuroinflammation, astrogliosis, and microgliosis in epileptic rat brains are unknown. Thus, further study to unveil these aspects is needed for understanding the phenomena of tPBM on pediatric CSE prevention. Aim: To evaluate the effects of tPBM on neuroinflammation, astrogliosis, and microgliosis in peripubertal rat hippocampus with PTZ-induced seizures and SE. Approach: An 808-nm diode laser was applied transcranially to peripubertal rats prior to PTZ injection. Immunofluorescence staining of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was used as a marker of neuroinflammation, glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) for astrogliosis, ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) for microgliosis, and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (MT-CO1) for confirming the involvement of cytochrome c oxidase (CCO). Results: tPBM significantly reduced NSE immunoreactivity in CA3 in PTZ-treated rats, GFAP immunoreactivity in CA1, and Iba-1 immunoreactivity in CA3. Enhancement of hippocampal MT-CO1 reflected that tPBM acted in CCO-dependent manner. Conclusions: tPBM (808) attenuated PTZ-induced seizures and SE by suppressing neuroinflammation, astrogliosis, and microgliosis in peripubertal rats.