Cell-specific expression of type II calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase isoforms and glutamate receptors in normal and visually deprived lateral geniculate nucleus of monkeys

Abstract

In situ hybridization histochemistry and immunocytochemistry were used to map distributions of cells expressing mRNAs encoding alpha, beta, gamma, and delta isoforms of type II calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII), alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionate (AMPA)/ kainate receptor subunits, (GluR1-7), and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, NR1 and NR2A-D, or stained by subunit-specific immunocytochemistry in the dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei of macaque monkeys. Relationships of specific isoforms with particular glutamate receptor types may be important elements in neural plasticity. CaMKII-alpha is expressed only by neurons in the S laminae and interlaminar plexuses of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, but may form part of a more widely distributed matrix of similar cells extending from the geniculate into adjacent nuclei. CaMKII-beta, -gamma, and -delta isoforms are expressed by all neurons in principal and S laminae and interlaminar plexuses. In principal laminae, they are down-regulated by monocular deprivation lasting 8-21 days. All glutamate receptor subunits are expressed by neurons in principal and S laminae and interlaminar plexuses. The AMPA/kainate subunits, GluR1, 2, 5, and 7, are expressed at low levels, although GluR1 immunostaining appears selectively to stain interneurons. GluR3 is expressed at weak, GluR 6 at moderate and GluR 4 at high levels. NMDA subunits, NR1 and NR2A, B, and D, are expressed at moderate to low levels. GluR4, GluR6 and NMDA subunits are down-regulated by visual deprivation. CaMKII-alpha expression is unique in comparison with other CaMKII isoforms which may, therefore, have more generalized roles in cell function. The results demonstrate that all of the isoforms are associated with NMDA receptors and with AMPA receptors enriched with GluR4 subunits, which implies high calcium permeability and rapid gating.

A neurochemical signature of visual recovery after extrastriate cortical damage in the adult cat

“…A further, relevant observation is that when they do not kill cells, persistent decreases in neuronal excitability are known to be associated with changes in the sensitivity and subunit composition of AMPA and NMDA receptors (Tighilet et al, 1998;Alvarez et al, 2000;Brown et al, 2004). And indeed, the present experiments showed that unilateral LS lesions caused 18% of calbindin-positive cells and 24% of parvalbumin-positive cells in area 18 of both hemispheres to decrease their expression of GluR2 and 2/3 below levels detectable with immunohistochemistry.…”

GABA Expression and Regulation by Sensory Experience in the Developing Visual System

“…For example, distinct populations of inhibitory neurons can be distinguished by parvalbumin, calbindin and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunoreactivity [68], [69] and robust expression of αCaMKII is present in excitatory neurons [70], [71], [72], [73], [74]. In stage 47 Xenopus tadpoles, we found that strongly GABA and αCaMKII immunoreactive sub-populations were mutually non-overlapping in the optic tectum (Fig.…”

Gender-Specific Gene Expression in Post-Mortem Human Brain: Localization to Sex Chromosomes

“…Silver grain analysis of emulsion dipped cerebellar slides confirmed that granule and Purkinje neurons in cerebellum are also labeled. The XIST in situ hybridization histochemistry was repeated with two different methods (Gee et al, 1983;Tighilet et al, 1998) and gave similar conclusions.…”

“…Since some genes of interest did not differ sufficiently for optimal riboprobe design, oligonucleotide probes were synthesized for h-clone 23599 (NCBI Genbank accession #U79247, nucleotide coding region 1091-1106), h-USP9Y (AF000986, 1384-1412), h-RSP4Y (M58459), and h-DBY (AF000984, 3125-3157). 35 Sor 33 P-labeled sense and antisense oligo-or riboprobes were prepared and hybridized to sections from the DLPFC, anterior cingulate cortex, and cerebellum using previously published methods (Meador-Woodruff et al, 1989;Tighilet et al, 1998). Hybridized sections were exposed to Kodak XAR film for 2-4 weeks and after development of the film, the sections were dipped in Kodak autoradiographic emulsion and exposed for further 2-4 weeks, as described in the published methods.…”