A comparative study of the distribution of alpha- and gamma-enolase subunits in cultured rat neural cells and fibroblasts.

We report the presence and distribution of alpha (ubiquitous) and gamma (neuron-specific) subunits of the dimeric glycolytic enzyme enolase (2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolase) in cultured neural cells. The gamma gamma enolase is found in vivo at high levels only in neurons and neuroendocrine cells. Neuronal cells in culture also contain relatively high levels of alpha gamma and gamma gamma enolase. Here we show, by enzymatic and immunological techniques, that the gamma subunit also is expressed in cultured rat astrocytes and meningeal fibroblasts and, as we previously reported, in oligodendrocytes. Both neuron-specific isoforms alpha gamma and gamma gamma are expressed in all these cells, but the alpha alpha isoform accounts for the major part of total enolase activity. The sum of alpha gamma and gamma gamma enolase activities increases with time in culture. i.e. maturation processes, reaching the highest level in oligodendrocytes (40% of total enolase activity) and 15 and 10% of total enzymatic activity in astrocytes and fibroblasts, respectively. The gamma enolase transcripts were found not only in cultured neuronal cells but also in cultured oligodendrocytes astrocytes, and meningeal fibroblasts. Our data indicate that neuron-specific enolase should be used with caution as a specific marker for neuronal cell differentiation.