Cellular distribution of isozymes of protein kinase C in septal olfactory epithelium of mice

To determine the presence of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes in the septal olfactory epithelium of mice (mSOE), western blotting and immunohistochemis try were performed using antibodies against PKC isozymes. With the exceptio n of PKC-beta I, all of the PKC isozymes were detected in the whole lysate of septal tissue layer and apparent molecular weights for each isoform were found. PKC-alpha, PKC-gamma and PKC-epsilon were detected in the olfactory glandular cells of the lamina propria, and PKC-beta I and PKC-beta II were located in the microvillar cells. Neither novel PKC nor atypical PKC was d etected in olfactory glandular cells or microvillar cells, except for PKC-E . PKC-X was localized in the mucous layer of the mSOE. Meanwhile, PKC-delta and PKC-xi were distributed in the receptor cells in the mSOE. These data demonstrate the isoform-specific expression of PKC in mSOE and suggest a ro le for the novel and atypical types of PKC in olfactory transduction. (C) 2 000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.