Expression, synaptic localization, and developmental regulation of Ack1/Pyk1, a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase highly expressed in the developing and adult brain.

Cytosolic tyrosine kinases play a critical role both in neural development and in adult brain function and plasticity. Here we isolated a cDNA with high homology to human Ack1 and mouse Tnk2. This cDNA directs the expression of a 125-kD protein that can be autophosphorylated in tyrosines. Initially, this clone ...
was named Pyk1 for proline-rich tyrosine kinase (Lev et al., 1995); however, since it corresponds to the mouse homolog of Ack1, here we called it Ack1/Pyk1. In this study we show that Ack1/Pyk1 mRNA and protein is highly expressed in the developing and adult brain. The highest levels of Ack1/Pyk1 expression were detected in the hippocampus, neocortex, and cerebellum. Electron microscopy studies showed that Ack1/Pyk1 protein is expressed in these regions both at dendritic spines and presynaptic axon terminals, indicating a role in synaptic function. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Ack1/Pyk1 mRNA levels are strongly upregulated by increased neural activity, produced by intraperitoneal kainate injections. During development, Ack1/Pyk1 was also expressed in the proliferative ventricular zones and in postmitotic maturing neurons. In neuronal cultures, Ack1/Pyk1 was detected in developing dendrites and axons, including dendritic tips and growth cones. Moreover, Ack1/Pyk1 colocalized with Cdc42 GTPase in neuronal cultures and coimmunoprecipitated with Cdc42 in HEK 293T cells. Altogether, our findings indicate that Ack1/Pyk1 tyrosine kinase may be involved both in adult synaptic function and plasticity and in brain development.
Mesh Terms:
Animals, Animals, Newborn, Blotting, Northern, Blotting, Western, Brain, Cells, Cultured, Cloning, Molecular, Embryo, Mammalian, Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Immunoprecipitation, In Situ Hybridization, Kainic Acid, Mice, Microscopy, Immunoelectron, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Neurons, Phosphoamino Acids, Phosphorylation, Presynaptic Terminals, Protein-Tyrosine Kinases, RNA, Messenger, Synapses, Time Factors, Tubulin, cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
J. Comp. Neurol.
Date: Sep. 19, 2005
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