Depletion of catalytic and regulatory subunits of protein kinase CK2 by antisense oligonucleotide treatment of neuroblastoma cells.

1. The use of antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit expression of the genes coding for the catalytic (alpha/alpha') and regulatory (beta) subunits of protein kinase casein kinase 2 (CK2) has allowed study of the role of this enzyme in mouse neuroblastoma cells. 2. Selective depletion of catalytic (alpha/alpha') subunits results in the blocking of neuritogenesis. The depletion of catalytic subunits also affects the sorting of the regulatory (beta) subunit of CK2, as the absence of catalytic subunits prevents the translocation of the regulatory subunit to the nuclei. These results emphasize the existence of a control mechanism linking the expression and sorting of CK2 catalytic and regulatory subunits. 3. Selective depletion of the regulatory (beta) subunit of protein kinase CK2 by an specific antisense oligonucleotide causes partial inhibition of neurite extension.