Authors: ChunShu Piao SeungWoo Kim JungBin Kim JaKyeong Lee
Publish Date: 2005/04/26
Volume: 163, Issue: 4, Pages: 421-429
Abstract
αBcrystallin αBC a member of the small heatshock proteins sHSP is constitutively expressed in the vertebrate lens and in nonocular tissues including the central nervous system CNS In this study we investigated the expression of αBC in the rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion MCAO αBC transcript and protein were transiently expressed 4 h after MCAO/reperfusion in the pyramidal neurons in the periinfarct region of the ischemic hemisphere Beginning 2 days after MCAO significant αBC induction appeared in reactive astrocytes in the penumbra and this induction was sustained for several days In addition levels of MAPKAPK2 one of the αBC upstream kinases and its phosphorylated form were upregulated gradually and peaked 4 days after ischemia/reperfusion injury The immunohistochemical study indicated that αBC was colocalized with MAPKAPK2 and pMAPKAPK2 Furthermore p38β MAPK an upstream kinase of MAPKAPK2 which has been known to be involved in compensatory responses to stress was also colocalized with αBC in the penumbra Our results suggest that the p38βdependent αBC induction in neurons and astrocytes in the penumbra may play an important role in the postischemic brain
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