title: Phosphorylation of rat brain cytoskeletal proteins is increased after orally administered aluminum.
abstract: In rats, administration of 0.3% aluminum in the drinking water for 4-5 weeks significantly increased the in vivo incorporation of 32-phosphorous (32Pi) into proteins with apparent molecular weights of 300 and 210 kDa in the brainstem and cerebral cortex. The identities of these two phosphoproteins as microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and the 200 kDa neurofilament subunit (NF), respectively, were established using immunoprecipitation techniques with monoclonal antibodies. Aluminum treatment did not significantly change the amount of MAP-2 or 200 kDa NF in the cerebral cortex and brainstem. Phosphorylation of MAP-2 in aluminum-treated rats in the brainstem and cerebral cortex was 163 and 155% of control values, respectively. The phosphorylation of 200 kDa NF in the brainstem and cerebral cortex of aluminum-treated rats was 148 and 209% of control values, respectively. These results demonstrate that chronic oral aluminum administration to rats increases the phosphorylation of certain cytoskeletal proteins. This treatment regimen may provide a model system with which the mechanisms and consequences of altered in vivo phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins can be studied.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000535:Aluminum / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D000535:Aluminum