Differential expression of protein kinase C isozymes in rat glial cell cultures.
Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of closely related enzymes implicated in molecular processes involved in growth and differentiation in a variety of cells. We studied the presence and distribution of 4 PKC isozymes in glial cell cultures of the rat hippocampus employing antisera raised against synthetic peptides predicted from the cDNA sequences corresponding to the C-terminal portion of 4 PKC isoforms, alpha, beta I, beta II, and gamma. PKC(alpha) and -(beta II), but neither PKC(beta I) nor -(gamma) isoforms were detected in glial cultures of the rat hippocampus. Anti-PKC(alpha) immunostained all glial cells, whereas anti-PKC(beta II) faintly stained about 20% of total glial cells resembling the type-2 astrocyte that were GFAP immunopositive, with few processes. Anti-PKC(beta II) did not stain about 80% of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunopositive cells with a few thick processes which resembled the type-1 astrocyte. A few cells that stained intensely with anti-PKC(beta II) were GFAP immunopositive and possessed fine, but well-developed, multiple processes. Faint PKC(beta II) immunoreactivity was also detected among anti-MBP-positive cells (possibly oligodendrocytes), RCA-1-positive cells (possibly microglia), and small, oval, anti-GFAP-positive cells. These results suggest the involvement of distinct PKC isoforms in different glial functions.
Masliah
E
E
Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0624.
Yoshida
K
K
Shimohama
S
S
Gage
F H
FH
Saitoh
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011493:Protein Kinase C