Spatiotemporal profile of Map2 and microglial changes in the hippocampal CA1 region following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus

Status epilepticus (SE) triggers pathological changes to hippocampal dendrites that may promote epileptogenesis. The microtubule associated protein 2 (Map2) helps stabilize microtubules of the dendritic cytoskeleton. Recently, we reported a substantial decline in Map2 that coincided with robust microglia accumulation in the CA1 hippocampal region after an episode of SE. A spatial correlation between Map2 loss and reactive microglia was also reported in human cortex from refractory epilepsy. New evidence supports that microglia modulate dendritic structures. Thus, to identify a potential association between SE-induced Map2 and microglial changes, a spatiotemporal profile of these events is necessary. We used immunohistochemistry to determine the distribution of Map2 and the microglia marker IBA1 in the hippocampus after pilocarpine-induced SE from 4 hrs to 35 days. We found a decline in Map2 immunoreactivity in the CA1 area that reached minimal levels at 14 days post-SE and partially increased thereafter. In contrast, maximal microglia accumulation occurred in the CA1 area at 14 days post-SE. Our data indicate that SE-induced Map2 and microglial changes parallel each other's spatiotemporal profiles. These findings may lay the foundation for future mechanistic studies to help identify potential roles for microglia in the dendritic pathology associated with SE and epilepsy.