Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase ii activity in focal ischemia with reperfusion in rats

Abstract

Background and Purpose Evidence linking changes in cal-cium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity with ischemic cell death has been reported in animal models of global ischemia. The purpose of this study was to delineate the course of these changes after focal ischemia and to clarify the relation of changes in activity of calcium/calmodulin-depen-dent protein kinase II to the process of ischemic cell death. Methods Change in calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity was evaluated in a rat model of focal ischemia after 5 minutes, 30 minutes, and 1 hour of tandem middle cerebral artery and common carotid artery occlusion both with and without reperfusion. Results Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity was significantly decreased after all three durations of ischemia followed by immediate decapitation compared with sham-operated animals, in both ischemic core and border-zone regions (P