Presence of Calmodulin and Calmodulin‐Binding Proteins in the Nuclei of Brain Cells

Abstract

The nuclear calmodulin levels have been measured in rat neurons and glial cells. The values are 1.0 and 1.1 micrograms/mg of protein, respectively. These levels are about threefold higher than those in the nuclei of rat liver cells. We have also investigated the presence of several calmodulin-binding proteins in the nuclei of both brain cellular types. As similarly observed in the nuclei of liver cells, we detected the presence of alpha-spectrin and a 62-kDa calmodulin-binding protein (p62) in the nuclei of neurons and glial cells by immunoblotting and immunocytochemical methods. Both proteins are enriched in the purified nuclear matrix samples from both cellular types. In contrast to that occurring in rat hepatocytes, we have not been able to detect, by immunoblotting methods, caldesmon in the nuclear matrices of neurons and glial cells. The immunocytochemical studies suggest, however, that caldesmon can be present in the nuclei but in a fraction distinct from the nuclear matrices.