Status epilepticus alters hippocampal PKAβ and PKAγ expression in mice

ObjectivesTo investigate the localization and progressive changes of cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase (cPKA) in the mouse hippocampus at acute stages during and after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus.MethodsPilocarpine induced status epilepticus mice were sacrificed 30 min, 2 h or 1 day after the start of a ∼7 h lasting status as assessed by video-electroencephalography. Brains were processed for quantitative immunohistochemistry of hippocampal cPKAβ and cPKAγ, and immunohistochemical co-localization of cPKAβ and cPKAγ with calbindin (CB), calretinin (CR), and parvalbumin (PV).ResultsBased on anatomical and morphological assessment, cPKAβ was primarily expressed by principal cells and cPKAγ by interneurons. In CA1, cPKAβ co-localized with 76% of CB, 41% of CR, and 95% of PV-immunopositive cells, while cPKAγ co-localized with 50% of CB, 29% of CR, and 80% of PV-immunopositive cells. Upon induction of status epilepticus, cPKAβ expression was transiently reduced in CA1, whereas cPKAγ expression was sustainably reduced.ConclusioncPKA may play an important role in neuronal hyperexcitability, death and epileptogenesis during and after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus.