Research article summary (published 8 Sep 2004):

Effect of protein kinase C blockade on phosphorylation of NR1 in dorsal horn and spinothalamic tract cells caused by intradermal capsaicin injection in rats.

Full Abstract

We have previously reported that protein kinase A (PKA) is involved in the phosphorylation of NR1 subunits of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in dorsal horn neurons after intradermal injection of capsaicin (CAP). To see if protein kinase C (PKC) also participates in the phosphorylation of NR1, we used electron microscopic techniques to determine further where the phosphorylated NR1 subunits (pNR1) are expressed in the spinothalamic tract (STT) cells and immunohistochemistry to examine whether a PKC inhibitor, chelerythrine chloride, blocks the enhanced phosphorylation of NR1 on serine 896. The pNR1 subunits were in the soma and dendrites of STT cells and in presynaptic endings. Western blots showed that pretreatment with the PKC inhibitor caused a decrease in CAP-induced phosphorylation of NR1 protein. In immunofluorescence staining, the number of pNR1-like immunoreactive neurons was significantly decreased on the side ipsilateral to the injection when chelerythrine chloride was administered intrathecally before CAP injection. In addition, when STT cells were labeled by microinjection of the retrograde tracer, fluorogold (FG), into the thalamus, we found that the proportion of p-NR1-LI STT cells was markedly reduced after PKC inhibition. Combined with our previous findings, these results strongly suggest that NR1 subunits in spinal dorsal horn neurons are phosphorylated following CAP injection, and this phosphorylation is catalyzed by PKC, as well as by PKA.

Author information

Author/s: Zou, Xiaoju (X); Lin, Qing (Q); Willis, William D (WD);

Affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Marine Biomedical Institute, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1069, USA.

Grants: NS09743 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; NS11255 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; NS40723 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Brain research (Brain Res), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-Sep; vol 1020 (issue 1-2) : pp 95-105

Dates: Created 2004/08/17; Completed 2004/12/20; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 15312791, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 2/18/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MeSH Headings (categories) shown below.

Alkaloids Animals Benzophenanthridines Capsaicin Enzyme Inhibitors - administration & dosage Fluorescent Antibody Technique Functional Laterality - physiology Injections, Intradermal Injections, Spinal Male

Nociceptors - drug effects; metabolism Pain - chemically induced; enzymology Phenanthridines - administration & dosage Phosphorylation Posterior Horn Cells - drug effects; enzymology; ultrastructure Protein Kinase C - antagonists & inhibitors; drug effects; metabolism Rats Rats, Sprague-Dawley Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - drug effects; metabolism Spinothalamic Tracts - drug effects; enzymology; ultrastructure

Note: Bold headings indicate primary MeSH headings or qualifiers.

Associated Chemicals: Alkaloids (0) ; Benzophenanthridines (0) ; Enzyme Inhibitors (0) ; NR1 NMDA receptor (0) ; Phenanthridines (0) ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (0) ; chelerythrine (34316-15-9) ; Capsaicin (404-86-4) ; Protein Kinase C (EC 2.7.11.13)

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