The immunohistochemical distribution of protein kinase C isozymes is altered in the canine brain and basilar artery after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The effects of subarachnoid hemorrhage on immunoreactivities of protein kinase C isozymes (alpha, beta, gamma) were studied in canine brain and basilar artery. Mild and severe constriction of the basilar artery was shown 2 days and 7 days after hemorrhage, respectively. In control brain tissues, the isozymes showed distinct distributions and following hemorrhage, reactive astrocytes with protein kinase C alpha staining emerged in the surface of the pons and hippocampus. The control basilar artery showed protein kinase C alpha staining and its staining was decreased on day 7, consistent with the result of immunoblot. Our results demonstrated that subarachnoid hemorrhage induces gliosis with heavy protein kinase C alpha staining and down-regulation of protein kinase C in the artery.