title: Chronic inhibition of Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinase II activity in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy.
abstract: The development of symptomatic epilepsy is a model of long-term plasticity changes in the central nervous system. The rat pilocarpine model of epilepsy was utilized to study persistent alterations in calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaM kinase II) activity associated with epileptogenesis. CaM kinase II-dependent substrate phosphorylation and autophosphorylation were significantly inhibited for up to 6 weeks following epileptogenesis in both the cortex and hippocampus, but not in the cerebellum. The net decrease in CaM kinase II autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation was shown to be due to decreased kinase activity and not due to increased phosphatase activity. The inhibition in CaM kinase II activity and the development of epilepsy were blocked by pretreating seizure rats with MK-801 indicating that the long-lasting decrease in CaM kinase II activity was dependent on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation. In addition, the inhibition of CaM kinase II activity was associated in time and regional localization with the development of spontaneous recurrent seizure activity. The decrease in enzyme activity was not attributed to a decrease in the alpha or beta kinase subunit protein expression level. Thus, the significant inhibition of the enzyme occurred without changes in kinase protein expression, suggesting a long-lasting, post-translational modification of the enzyme. This is the first published report of a persistent, post-translational alteration of CaM kinase II activity in a model of epilepsy characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizure activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980599, MCV Station, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. schurn@hsc.vcu.edu
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Churn
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Kochan
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: DeLorenzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D019319:Okadaic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010862:Pilocarpine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012640:Seizures / Q000517:prevention & control; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010455:Peptides; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D010862:Pilocarpine; C063391:syntide-2; D019319:Okadaic Acid; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases