Expression of protein kinase C isoforms in renal tissue.
PKC plays a central role for the regulation of renal function. PKC consists of a family of isoenzymes. By employing Northern blot techniques we have demonstrated that mRNA transcripts for the classical Ca(2+)-dependent, diacylglycerol-activated isoform alpha, the novel, Ca(2+)-independent isoform delta and the atypical isoform zeta are abundantly expressed in the rat kidney. The novel PKC-epsilon was weakly expressed. The classical PKCs beta I, beta II and gamma could not be detected. The mRNA expression of PKC-delta and -zeta increased with age. The intrarenal localization of PKC-alpha, -delta and -zeta isoforms were studied in the adult kidney using in situ hybridization. In the cortex, the PKC-alpha isoform showed the strongest hybridization signal. PKC alpha, delta and zeta were all distributed in the outer medulla. The PKC-alpha probe detected particularly strong signal in the outer stripe of the outer medulla. Western blot confirmed the presence of the PKC-alpha, -delta and -zeta enzymes in renal tissue. The results show cell-specific and developmentally-dependent expression of three types of PKC isoforms with different responses to diacylglycerol and calcium. The developmental increase of both PKC-delta and PKC-zeta suggests a specific role for these isoforms for the functional regulation of the mature kidney.
Ostlund
E
E
Department of Women and Child Health, St. Göran's Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mendez
C F
CF
Jacobsson
G
G
Fryckstedt
J
J
Meister
B
B
Aperia
A
A
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015342:DNA Probes; D015151:Immunoblotting; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D015342:DNA Probes; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011493:Protein Kinase C