Validation Of New Strategies To Overcome Pharmacoresistance Of Epilepsy Based On Multidrug Transporter Overexpression

Several studies indicate that local overexpression of multidrug transporters in the epileptogenic tissue limits access of antiepileptic drugs to their target sites, thereby contributing to pharmacoresistance. The aim of Dr. Potschka’s project is to test whether resistance can be overcome by downregulating the expression of the major multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein by RNA interference (RNAi). As a second strategy intranasal administration of antiepileptic drugs will be tested as a means to bypass the blood-brain barrier and to achieve sufficient brain delivery.