Our understanding of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is one of the most common forms of drug-resistant epilepsy in humans. Using RNA- and small RNA-sequencing in parallel, we explored differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus and cortex of MTLE patients who had undergone surgical resection and non-epileptic controls. We found significant enrichment for astrocytic and microglial genes amongst up-regulated genes and down-regulation of neuron-specific genes in the hippocampus of MTLE patients. The transcriptome profile of the small RNAs reflected disease state more robustly than mRNAs, even across brain regions which show very little pathology.

Our understanding of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is one of the most common forms of drug-resistant epilepsy in humans. Using RNA- and small RNA-sequencing in parallel, we explored differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus and cortex of MTLE patients who had undergone surgical resection and non-epileptic controls. We found significant enrichment for astrocytic and microglial genes amongst up-regulated genes and down-regulation of neuron-specific genes in the hippocampus of MTLE patients. The transcriptome profile of the small RNAs reflected disease state more robustly than mRNAs, even across brain regions which show very little pathology.

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