MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION OF THE 4 ISOFORMS OF THE HUMAN PLASMA-MEMBRANE CA2-ATPASE IN THE HUMAN HIPPOCAMPUS()

Ca2+ dyshomeostasis is a contributing factor to the development and pr ogression of neurodegenerative disease. Plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPases ( PMCAs) are responsible for setting intracellular Ca2+ levels and may b e involved in the dynamic processing of Ca2+ loads in normal and patho logical conditions. In situ hybridization was employed to determine th e expression pattern of the four human PMCA isoforms in the human hipp ocampus. PMCA1 and 3 mRNAs were weakly expressed throughout the hippoc ampal formation, whereas PMCA2 and 4 mRNA expression showed distinct r egional differences, with increased levels in CA2 and the dentate gyru s. Differential expression of PMCA isoforms may reflect cellular diffe rences in Ca2+-handling properties and provide a partial explanation f or the differential susceptibility of hippocampal neurons to Ca2+-medi ated cell death. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.