title: Status epilepticus-induced changes in the subcellular distribution and activity of calcineurin in rat forebrain.
abstract: This study was performed to determine the effect of prolonged status epilepticus on the activity and subcellular location of a neuronally enriched, calcium-regulated enzyme, calcineurin. Brain fractions isolated from control animals and rats subjected to pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus were subjected to differential centrifugation. Specific subcellular fractions were tested for both calcineurin activity and enzyme content. Significant, status epilepticus-induced increases in calcineurin activity were found in homogenates, nuclear fractions, and crude synaptic membrane-enriched fractions isolated from both cortex and hippocampus. Additionally, significant increases in enzyme levels were observed in crude synaptic fractions as measured by Western analysis. Immunohistochemical studies revealed a status epilepticus-induced increase in calcineurin immunoreactivity in dendritic structures of pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus. The data demonstrate a status epilepticus-induced increase in calcineurin activity and concentration in the postsynaptic region of forebrain pyramidal neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: Annu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.forename: J Travis
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Severn B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Churn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D002451:Cell Compartmentation / Q000502:physiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000378:metabolism; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000201:enzymology*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000201:enzymology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009596:Nitrophenols; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010862:Pilocarpine; C008644:nitrophenylphosphate; D019703:Calcineurin; D002118:Calcium