The Role of ASIC1a in Epilepsy: A Potential Therapeutic Target.

BACKGROUND

Epilepsy represents one of the most common brain diseases among humans. Tissue acidosis is a common phenomenon in epileptogenic foci. Moreover, its role in epileptogenesis remains unclear. Acid-sensing ion channel-1a (ASIC1a) represents a potential way to assess new therapies. ASIC1a, mainly expressed in the mammalian brain, is a type of protein-gated cation channel. It has been shown to play an important role in the pathological mechanism of various diseases, including stroke, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

METHODS

Data were collected from Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, through searching for these keywords: "Acid-sensing ion channels 1a" or "ASIC1a" and "epilepsy" or "seizure".

RESULTS

The role of ASIC1a in epilepsy remains controversial; it may represent a promising therapeutic target of epilepsy.

CONCLUSION

This review is intended to provide an overview of the structure, trafficking, and molecular mechanisms of ASIC1a in order to elucidate the role of ASIC1a in epilepsy further.