An analysis of postmortem brain samples from 32 alcoholic and nonalcoholic individuals for protein III, a neuronal phosphoprotein

Cloning of cDNAs encoding human synapsins IIa and IIb

The synapsins are a family of neuronal phosphoproteins that are specifically associated with the cytoplasmic surface of synaptic vesicles. In mammals, distinct genes for synapsins I, II, and III give rise to members of the synapsin family. The synapsins are implicated in neurotransmitter release and synaptogenesis, processes believed to be aberrant in several neuropsychiatric diseases. The characterization of human synapsins is therefore important for evaluating the possible role of synapsins in human neuropathology. In this report, we describe the cloning and sequence of human synapsins IIa and IIb, products of the synapsin II gene. Human synapsins IIa and IIb conform to the previously described domain model of the synapsins, and the most conserved protein domains are A, C, and E.

Brain MAP-2 phosphorylation is decreased following prenatal alcohol exposure in rats

The effects of prenatal alcohol treatment on the development and in vitro phosphorylation of specific neuronal phosphoproteins isolated from the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rat brains were studied. In vitro phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) was decreased in the frontal cortex but not the hippocampus of animals exposed prenatally to alcohol. Phosphorylation of additional phosphoproteins, including tau proteins, Synapsin I, and GAP-43, was not affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. Littermates of animals used for the phosphorylation assays showed impaired passive avoidance learning. These data demonstrate that the previously reported structural changes in the development of the cerebral cortex following prenatal alcohol exposure and behavioral deficits are accompanied by changes in the phosphorylation of the important cytoskeletal protein MAP-2.