title: Activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha in the spinal cords of rats with clip compression injury.
abstract: Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIalpha) is abundant in the central nervous system, where it plays important roles in regulating neuronal plasticity and survival. However, the role of CaMKIIalpha activation in traumatically injured spinal cords remains unclear. This study examined the effects of clip compression injury on levels of phosphorylated CaMKIIalpha (pCaMKIIalpha) and its cellular localization in rat spinal cords. Western blot analysis showed that the pCaMKIIalpha levels in both rostral (days 7, 14, and 21 post-injury) and caudal (days 4, 7, 14, and 21 post-injury) areas of the injury site were more than twice the levels in the non-injured controls. Immunohistochemical examination revealed constitutive localization of pCaMKIIalpha in the superficial lamina of the dorsal horn and neurons in normal spinal cord controls. After spinal cord injury, levels of the same components were markedly increased in both rostral and caudal regions approximately 3 mm from the center of the spinal cord lesions. However, pCaMKIIalpha was very rare in inflammatory cells in the injured spinal cords. In this animal model, CaMKIIalpha may play an important role in the spontaneous reversal of spinal cord dysfunction, thus restoring locomotor activity, possibly by functioning in the reconstruction of synaptic transmission and in protecting neurons from spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Medical Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, South Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung-Sub
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Heung-Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Miyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Joong-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Choon
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hongbing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ki-Bum
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Heechul
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Taekyun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Changjong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moon