Status epilepticus alters hippocampal PKAβ and PKAγ expression in mice

Immunocytochemical staining shows cPKAβ (A) and cPKAγ (B) immunopositive product in the hippocampus of the control mice. Moderate cPKAβ immunopositive product is localized in the stratum pyramidale (SP) of CA1-3 areas and in the stratum granulosum (SG) of the dentate gyrus. Weak cPKAβ immunopositive product is located in the stratum lucidum of CA3 area (arrows). Moderately to strongly stained cPKAγ (B) immunopositive product is localized in the hilus and molecular layer (asterisks) of the dentate gyrus and in the stratum lucidum (arrows) of CA3 area. Scale bar=200μm, also applies to (A).

cPKAβ (A–D) immunopositive product in the stratum pyramiale of the CA1 area decreases significantly at 30min (B) and 2h during pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (C) compared to the control (A), but returns back at 1 day after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (D). In different strata of CA1 area, the number of cPKAβ immunopositive neurons decreases at 30min (B) and 2h during pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (C), while the number of cPKAγ (E–H) immunopositive neurons decreases at 30min (F), 2h during (G) and 1 day after (H) pilocarpine induced status epilepticus compared to the control (E). (H) Scale bar=100μm, also applies to (A–G).

The number of cPKAβ (A–D) and cPKAγ (E–H) immunopositive neurons decreases progressively in the hilus of the dentate gyrus from 30min during (cPKAβ: B; cPKAγ: F) to 1 day after (cPKAβ: D; cPKAγ: H) pilocarpine induced status epilepticus. (H) Scale bar=200μm, also applies to (A–G).

Histograms showing the progressive changes of cPKAβ or cPKAγ immunopositive neurons/product within 1 day during and after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus. n=18 observations from 6 rats. *p<0.01, ⁺p<0.05 compared with the control. Cell density is indicated as a number per square millimeter; intensity of immunpositive product is indicated as a grey value. Note that the increase of intensity (grey value) indicates the decrease of protein expression, the two are negatively coupled.

Double-labeling immunofluoresence microscopy shows co-localization (yellow, arrows) of cPKAβ (A–C, red) or cPKAγ (D–F, red) with CB (A, D, green), CR (B, E, green) or PV (C, F, green) in CA1 area of the hippocampus of the control mouse. In the hilus of the dentate gyrus, co-localization (yellow, arrows) of cPKAβ (G–I, red) or cPKAγ (J–L, red) with CB (G, J, green), CR (H, K, green) or PV (I, L, green) is also indicated. Note that there is not co-localization of cPKA with CB (G–J, green) in hilar neurons. (F) Scale bar=100μm, also applies to (A–E); (L) scale bar=100μm, also applies to (G–K). (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of the article.)