Pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus.

SE was induced using a previously described protocol [27, 31]. Rats were injected with scopolamine methylbromide (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 minutes prior to injections of 0.9% saline (sham control group) or pilocarpine (280-300 mg/kg; i.p.; Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO) (SE group). Class 4.5 limbic motor seizures or higher on the Racine scale [32] indicated SE. SE was stopped after 1 hour with diazepam (10 mg/kg; i.p.; Hospira, Inc., Lake Forest, IL). I.P. injections of 0.9% saline (AddiPak) were administered two hours after SE and as needed. Rat chow was supplemented with sliced peeled apples, Kellogg’s Fruit Loop cereal, and/or chocolate Ensure for up to one week after SE. Immediately after SE, rats typically lose about 10% of their body weight, and treatment with immunomodulatory drugs can accelerate weight recovery [33]. Therefore, we recorded body weight daily for the first two weeks after SE. In total, 64 rats were injected with pilocarpine and 22 with saline (controls). Of the rats that received pilocarpine, 2 died during or shortly after SE and 13 failed to reach SE (stage 5-6). Rats that reached SE and survived (48 rats) were randomly assigned to C1-INH (18 rats) or vehicle (30 rats) treatment groups. Rats were used for behavior (52 rats), western blots (24 rats), immunohistochemistry (10 rats), and Solid-based immunoassay (6 rats), with rats being used for multiple tests when possible.