title: Identification of the isoforms of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNAs in the substantia nigra.
abstract: Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK)II is highly expressed in the CNS and mediates activity-dependent neuronal plasticity. Four CaMKII isoforms, alpha, beta, gamma and delta, have a large number of splicing variants. Here we identified isoforms of CaMKII in the rat substantia nigra (SN). Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed that the gamma and delta isoform mRNAs with several splicing variants were predominantly expressed in SN. Immunoblot analysis indicated that the major isoforms were gammaA, gammaC, delta1 and delta3. An immunohistochemical study also confirmed the preferential localization of gamma and delta isoforms in SN dopaminergic neurons. In dopaminergic neurons, immunoreactivity against anti-CaMKIIdelta1-4 antibody was detected in both nucleus and cytoplasm, in contrast to the predominant expression of gamma isoforms in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, we showed expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNAs with exons II and IV in SN. Taken together with our previous observations, the results suggest that the CaMKIIdelta3 isoform is involved in the expression of BDNF in the SN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Akifumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases