Rare protein sequence variation in SV2A gene does not affect response to levetiracetam

LM Dibbens; BL Hodgson; KL Helbig; KL Oliver; JC Mulley; SF Berkovic; IE Scheffer

Journal article

Rare protein sequence variation in SV2A gene does not affect response to levetiracetam

LM Dibbens, BL Hodgson, KL Helbig, KL Oliver, JC Mulley, SF Berkovic, IE Scheffer

Epilepsy Research | Published : 2012

DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2012.04.007

Abstract

Levetiracetam, a broad spectrum antiepileptic drug, binds to membrane protein SV2A. The protein coding region of SV2A was sequenced in 158 patients with focal or generalized epilepsies divided into three groups based on their response to levetiracetam: responders (>75% decrease), exacerbators (50% increase) and non-responders. Nonsynonymous coding variation within SV2A was extremely rare, suggesting that rare variation is not likely to account for the individual differences in response to levetiracetam. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

University of Melbourne Researchers

Karen L Oliver Author

Sam Berkovic Author

Ingrid Scheffer Author

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

We thank the patients for participating in our research. This work was funded by grants obtained from UCB Pharma, The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and The Thyne-Reid Charitable Trust.