title: The importance of immunohistochemical analyses in evaluating the phenotype of Kv channel knockout mice.
abstract: To gain insights into the phenotype of voltage-gated potassium (Kv)1.1 and Kv4.2 knockout mice, we used immunohistochemistry to analyze the expression of component principal or α subunits and auxiliary subunits of neuronal Kv channels in knockout mouse brains. Genetic ablation of the Kv1.1 α subunit did not result in compensatory changes in the expression levels or subcellular distribution of related ion channel subunits in hippocampal medial perforant path and mossy fiber nerve terminals, where high levels of Kv1.1 are normally expressed. Genetic ablation of the Kv4.2 α subunit did not result in altered neuronal cytoarchitecture of the hippocampus. Although Kv4.2 knockout mice did not exhibit compensatory changes in the expression levels or subcellular distribution of the related Kv4.3 α subunit, we found dramatic decreases in the cellular and subcellular expression of specific Kv channel interacting proteins (KChIPs) that reflected their degree of association and colocalization with Kv4.2 in wild-type mouse and rat brains. These studies highlight the insights that can be gained by performing detailed immunohistochemical analyses of Kv channel knockout mouse brains.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8519, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menegola
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Trimmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D064026:Calbindins; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051605:Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051662:Kv1.1 Potassium Channel / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019599:Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal / Q000378:metabolism; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000235:genetics*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism; D051672:Shal Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D064026:Calbindins; D004396:Coloring Agents; D051605:Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D051672:Shal Potassium Channels; D051662:Kv1.1 Potassium Channel