Co-localization of the beta-subtype of protein kinase C and phosphorylation-dependent immunoreactivity of neurofilaments in intact, decentralized and axotomized rat peripheral neurons.

The localizations of protein kinase C-beta-immunoreactivity and phosphorylation-dependent immunoreactivity of neurofilaments were compared in rat dorsal root, hypogastric, and superior cervical ganglia. In all the ganglia studied, protein kinase C-beta and phosphorylation-dependent immunoreactivity of neurofilaments were co-localized in nerve fibres, and no fibres with only protein kinase C-beta-immunoreactivity or phosphorylation-dependent immunoreactivity of neurofilaments were observed. Most intense perikaryal protein kinase c-beta and phosphorylation-dependent neurofilament-staining were seen in large dorsal root ganglion neurons, whereas in the superior cervical ganglion only very faint protein-kinase C-beta and no phosphorylation-dependent staining was seen in the neuronal cell bodies. Both decentralization and axotomy of the superior cervical ganglion induced an accumulation of protein-kinase C-beta-immunoreactivity and phosphorylation-dependent immunoreactivity of neurofilaments in the majority of neuronal perikarya. The accumulation was first observed at 1-2 days postoperation and it persisted up to 6-10 days postoperation. In strongly labelled decentralized neuronal perikarya, precipitation of immunoreactivity was seen near the cell and nuclear membranes, whereas in axotomized neurons, immunoreactivity was often concentrated as a unipolar clump in the cytoplasm. The results show that protein kinase C-beta-immunoreactivity and phosphorylation-dependent immunoreactivity of neurofilaments are colocalized in intact rat peripheral ganglia and that both accumulate transiently in cell bodies of the superior cervical ganglion after decentralization and axotomy.