PROTEIN-KINASE-C IN CENTRAL AUDITORY PATHWAYS OF THE RAT

Protein kinase C is an important intracellular signaling molecule. Man y of its ten isoforms are highly expressed in brain, and protein kinas e C has been implicated in the regulation of the activity of receptors of several major neurotransmitters, including glutamate, acetylcholin e, glycine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. These neurotransmitters and t heir receptors are present in central auditory pathways, suggesting th eir role in auditory signal processing. Although they may be important modulators of the function of these neurotransmitter receptors, the d istribution of protein kinase C isoforms in central auditory systems h as not been well characterized. By using immunocytochemistry with spec ific antibodies, we studied the distribution of immunoreactivity of fo ur isoforms of protein kinase C, beta I, beta II, gamma, and delta, in central auditory systems of rat brain. Each of these protein kinase C isoforms was found to have a unique distribution in the auditory brai nstem and cortex, supporting a role for these isoforms of protein kina se C in different aspects of auditory sensory processing. (C) 1997 Wil ey-Liss, Inc.