Alteration of collapsin response mediator protein-2 expression in focal ischemic rat brain.

Collapsin response mediator protein-2 is highly expressed in the adult brain and it has been speculated to play roles in nervous system diseases. Studies determined for the first time whether collapsin response mediator protein-2 expression is altered in brain ischemia. We observed ischemia-modulated expression of different-sized collapsin response mediator protein-2. As the ischemic duration increased, the expression level of a known major 62 kDa collapsin response mediator protein-2 was decreased, whereas the expression of a newly-detected 58 kDa collapsin response mediator protein-2 was clearly increased in middle carotid artery-occluded rat brain tissues. Analysis of the two collapsin response mediator protein-2 bands revealed that the novel 58 kDa collapsin response mediator protein-2 observed in middle carotid artery-occluded rat brain tissues was a cleavage form; the predicted cleavage site is located at the carboxy-terminal of the collapsin response mediator protein-2. These data suggest that collapsin response mediator protein-2 is an important candidate controlling ischemic stroke.