A stage-resolved neuron-glia transcriptional atlas reveals a glial inflammatory pivot in epilepsy

Methods

Using the intracortical kainic acid mouse model that recapitulates key hallmarks of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis in humans, we performed Fluorescent Activated Nuclear Sorting of NeuN⁺ (neuronal) and NeuN⁻ (glial) nuclei followed by RNA sequencing at 1 hour, 24 hours, and 3 months after status epilepticus. Differential expression and integrative GO/KEGG analyses resolved stage-specific molecular programs across cell types.

Results The majority of genes differentially expressed in neurons and glia were exclusive to the respective time point / stage of epileptogenesis. We identify a sequential reorganization of cellular responsibilities during epileptogenesis. The acute phase is dominated by a shared stress response and DNA-repair programs in both neurons and glia.

At 24 hours, glia undergoes a marked transcriptional pivot involving necroptosis-associated, TNFR1/IFN-linked, and COX-2/chemokine pathways, while neurons display immune- and plasticity-related signatures. By 3 months, transcriptional activity is largely confined to glia and enriched for inflammatory, angiogenic, and gliogenic processes, consistent with long-term neurovascular remodelling. Only a few transcripts, including Parp3 (neurons) and Tlr1 (glia), are dysregulated across all stages.

Conclusion These findings reveal an orderly transition from an acute protective-leaning program to a latent glial inflammatory/regulated-death state, culminating in chronic gliopathy. Our work provides, to our knowledge, the first cell-type–resolved temporal atlas of epileptogenesis and identifies the latent phase as a mechanistically tractable window for antiepileptogenic intervention.