Regulation of phorbol ester binding and protein kinase C activity in aged rat brain.

Protein kinase C (PKC) function was analyzed in aged male Sprague-Dawley rat brain using two different approaches: the binding of [3H]-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate and the in vitro phosphorylation of histone H1. In cortex the binding was decreased while in cerebellum no age-related modifications were observed. In hippocampus the binding capacity was increased in old animals and the affinity decreased. The kinase activity in both soluble and particulate fractions was decreased in cortex, increased in hippocampus and unmodified in cerebellum. The area selective, age-dependent modifications in neuronal PKC may sustain short- and long-term regional changes of neuronal excitability.