The changed immunoreactivity of StarD6 after pilocarpine-induced epilepsy.

This study was designed whether StarD6 is also affected by neurodegenerative stimuli, as other START proteins may be one of the delivery proteins in cholesterol metabolism of neurosteroid synthesis. Increased immunoreactivity of StarD6 was observed in all zones of the hippocampus by the administration of pilocarpine (350 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). More intense StarD6 immunolocalization was seen in the strata radiatum and lacunosum-moleculare, particularly in CA1-2 areas until 12 h after pilocarpine-induced epilepsy. StarD6 protein level was transiently increased at 3 h after pilocarpine-treated rat hippocampus comparing with normal rat. This raises the possibility that StarD6 might have nuclear roles and contribute to subsequent formation of neuroprotective steroids after excitotoxic brain injury.