Regulated expression of dual specificity protein phosphatases in rat brain

ACTIVATED mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases play an essential role co ntrolling many neuronal functions. Dual specificity protein phosphatases (D S-PTPs) elicit selective inactivation of MAP kinases and are under tight tr anscriptional control. We have studied expression of four DS-PTPs (MKP-1, M KP-X, MKP-3 and B23) in rat brain and examined changes during post-natal de velopment and following kainic acid induced seizure activity. In normal adu lt brain these DS-PTPs exhibit a strikingly different expression pattern. O nly MKP-1 was regulated during development with levels increased transientl y (P15-P21) within the thalamus and somatosensory cortex. Following kainate treatment, MKP-1, MKP-3 and B23 all exhibit striking changes in expression within hippocampal subfields CA1-3 and dentate gyrus. Regulated transcript ion of DS-PTPs may play a critical role controlling MAP kinase dependent pr ocesses including synaptic remodeling and neuronal death. (C) 1998 Lippinco tt Williams & Wilkins.