Brain-infiltrated monocyte macrophages in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy: revisiting the pro-inflammatory paradigm.

ABSTRACT: Neuroinflammation is central to temporal lobe epilepsy, yet the specific role of myeloid cells remains unclear. In status epilepticus (SE) models, circulating monocytes infiltrate the brain, although distinguishing them from microglia is challenging. Using a rat model, we traced infiltrating monocytes post-SE to investigate their persistence, phenotypic evolution during epileptogenesis and contribution to neuroinflammation. By tracking phagocytosed fluorescent nanoparticles and performing CD68 immunohistochemistry, we confirmed that monocytes entered the brain in significant numbers 24 hours post-SE, after the inflammatory peak occurred (7 hours). Their long-term presence and evolution into monocyte-macrophages (mo-mΦs) up to 7 weeks were monitored histologically using CD68. Distinct infla

SUBMITTER: Grabon W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12722867 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature