Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39973610›Full record

ArticleEpilepsia2025

Cytomegalic parvalbumin neurons in fetal cases of hemimegalencephaly.

Antoinette-Bernabe Gelot, Tangra Ondina Draia-Nicolau, Rémi Mathieu, Lucas Silvagnoli, Françoise Watrin, Carlos Cardoso, Jean-Bernard Manent, Antoine de Chevigny, Alfonso Represa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epilepsia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Antoinette-Bernabe GelotINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Tangra Ondina Draia-NicolauINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Rémi MathieuINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Lucas SilvagnoliINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Françoise WatrinINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Carlos CardosoINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Jean-Bernard ManentINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2436-8593
Antoine de ChevignyINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
Alfonso RepresaINMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5096-8939

Funding

Agence Nationale de la Recherche ANR-13-JSV4-0006European Network on Brain MalformationsExcellent initiatice of the AMU/A*MIDEX Calin-R24002AAFondation Jérôme LejeuneFondation Pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMutations in genes of the mTOR pathway have been identified as a major cause of hemimegalencephaly (HMG), focal cortical dysplasia type II, and tuberous sclerosis, cortical malformations associated with epilepsy. These conditions are characterized at the cellular level by increased size of pyramidal neurons that grow with dysmorphic features and in some cases by the presence of giant balloon cells. Our previous research in tuberous sclerosis has shown that parvalbumin (Pvalb) and calbindin immunoreactive cells in cortical and subcortical tuberal lesions show cytomegalic features, suggesting the involvement of GABAergic cells in mTOR-related pathologies. In the present report, we propose to deepen our understanding of the role of interneurons in mTOR-related cortical malformations by analyzing the maturation of Pvalb neurons in fetal samples of HMG.

methodsWe performed immunohistochemical staining of cortical samples from individuals with HMG from 21 gestational weeks to 10 postnatal months. The study focused on Pvalb cells, and pS6 counterstaining was performed to assess the activation of the mTOR pathway. To investigate the pathomechanisms behind the cytomegalic features, we examined mTOR pathway gene expression in Pvalb interneurons and cortical projection neurons using a single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the human neocortex.

resultsOur results revealed cytomegalic features in Pvalb interneurons, indicating abnormal development in HMG patients compared to controls. This phenotype progressively worsened over time, suggesting ongoing developmental abnormalities associated with mTOR dysregulation, which may underlie the pathology of cortical malformations in HMG. Our transcriptomic data revealed similar expression patterns of mTOR and its upstream regulators in both Pvalb and glutamatergic neurons during development, suggesting that mTOR pathway disorders may induce similar phenotypes in both cell types. SIGNIFICANCE: The present data suggest that Pvalb interneurons are involved in the development of mTOR-related cortical dysplasia and that they may be a contributor to the clinical phenotype of these patients.

Indexed as

HemimegalencephalyMalformations of Cortical DevelopmentNeuronsParvalbuminsFemaleFetusHumansInfantInfant, NewbornInterneuronsMaleTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesMTOR protein, humanParvalbuminsTOR Serine-Threonine Kinasescortical developmental disordersinterneuronsmTOR pathwayneocortex

Identifiers

PMID39973610
PMCPMC12169404

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.