PKCγ expression in adolescent and adult rats : evidence for a cerebellar mechanism underlying age-dependent motor impairments produced by acute ethanol.

Date

2011-05

Authors

Van Skike, Candice E.

Access rights

Worldwide access

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons.

Abstract

Adolescents are less sensitive to ethanol-induced motor impairments compared to adults; however, a definitive mechanism underlying this difference has not been identified. Compared to wild-type littermates, PKCγ knock-out mice exhibit reduced motor sensitivity to ethanol; it is plausible that adolescent rats also have reduced PKCγ expression in brain regions responsible for motor function, specifically the cerebellum and cortex. Reduced PKCγ expression in these regions may govern the age-dependent motor impairments produced by ethanol. The current study analyzed membrane-bound PKCγ expression in adolescent and adult rats 40 minutes after an acute ethanol or saline injection. Western blot analysis indicates adolescent rats have reduced PKCγ expression in the cerebellum and cortex compared to adults. It is concluded that PKCγ expression may be part of a larger mechanism regulating the age-dependent motor impairments produced by acute ethanol administration.

Description

Keywords

Adolescence., Alcohol., Protein Kinase C., Ethanol-induced motor impairments., Cerebellum.

Citation

Van Skike, C. E., Botta, P., Chin, V. S., Tokunaga, S., McDaniel, J. M., Venard, J., Diaz-Granados, J. L., Valenzuela, C. F., Matthews, D. B. "Behavioral effects of ethanol in cerebellum are age dependent : potential system and molecular mechanisms." Alcoholism : Clinical and Experimental Research 32, 12 (2010): 2070-2080.