THE LOSS OF BETA-II-PROTEIN KINASE-C IN THE STRIATUM FROM PATIENTS WITH HUNTINGTONS-DISEASE

We have examined the levels of protein kinase C (PKC) in autopsied brains of patients with Huntington's disease (HD), using [H-3]4-beta-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate ([H-3] PDBu) and antisera against the PKC subspecies. In the caudate nucleus and putamen from patients with HD, the specific binding for [H-3]PDBu was significantly decreased by 74 and 68%, respectively, as compared to findings in controls. The beta-II-PKC immunoreactivities were significantly reduced by 65%, whereas the alpha-PKC immunoreactivities increased by 146%, in the putamen. There were no differences in the beta-I or gamma-PKC immunoreactivities in the putamen between HD and controls. These results suggest the differential localization of four PKC subspecies in human striatum and the involvement of four subspecies in different aspects of HD pathophysiology.