Drosophila expressing mutant human KCNT1 transgenes make an effective tool for targeted drug screening in a whole animal model of KCNT1-epilepsy.

ABSTRACT: Mutations in the KCNT1 potassium channel cause severe forms of epilepsy which are poorly controlled with current treatments. In vitro studies have shown that KCNT1-epilepsy mutations are gain of function, significantly increasing K⁺ current amplitudes. To investigate if Drosophila can be used to model human KCNT1 epilepsy, we generated Drosophila melanogaster lines carrying human KCNT1 with the patient mutation G288S, R398Q or R928C. Expression of each mutant channel in GABAergic neurons gave a seizure phenotype which responded either positively or negatively to 5 frontline epilepsy drugs most commonly administered to patients with KCNT1-epilepsy, often with little or no improvement of seizures. Cannabidiol showed the greatest reduction of the seizure phenotype while some drugs

SUBMITTER: Hussain R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10858247 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature