Ron_2012_Cereb.Cortex_22_2519

Protein kinase M zeta (PKMzeta), an atypical isoform of protein kinase C (PKC), has been implicated in long-term maintenance of neuronal plasticity and memory. However, the cellular machinery involved in these functions has yet to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the effects of PKMzeta overexpression on the morphology and function of cortical neurons in primary cultures. Transfection with a plasmid construct expressing the PKMzeta gene modified the distribution of spine morphologies and reduced spine length, while leaving total spine density and dendritic branching unchanged. A significant increase in magnitude but not frequency of miniature excitatory post synaptic currents was detected in the PKMzeta overexpressing cells. These results suggest that PKMzeta is involved in regulation of dendritic spine structure and function, which may underlie its role in long-term synaptic and behavioral plasticity.