Effect of injection of RNA isolated from normal and epileptic cortexes of rabbits into functioning mollusc neurons.

Epileptogenic foci were formed in rabbit visual cortex by freezing with liquid nitrogen. RNA isolated from the epileptogenic cortex (RNAepl), or from the frontal lobes (RNAcont) was injected into spontaneously active neurons of the mollusc Planorbarius corneus. The amplitude and duration of the spontaneous action potentials generated following the injection of RNAepl were reproducibly higher than those produced following the introduction of RNAcont. But the time interval between injection and cessation of spontaneous activity was considerably shorter after RNAepl-injection than after RNAcont-injection. Perfusion of neurons with a solution containing puromycin substantially prolonged the period of spontaneous discharge generation in both cases. The addition of Co2+ to the perfusion solution restored the spontaneous rhythmic activity to cells in which the generation of spikes had ceased following the injection of RNAepl. The mechanism underlying these effects is discussed.