Ethanol induced alterations in plasma membrane protein phosphorylation of neurons and astrocytes

The endogenous protein phosphorylation patterns in plasma membranes of bulk isolated neurons and astroglia from control and chronic ethanol treated rats have been investigated. Chronic ethanol treatment resulted in increased phosphorylation of specific proteins with molecular weights 116, 63 and 60 kDa in both neurons and astrocytes. These proteins were further resolved by 2-DE and the analysis suggested an increased phosphorylation of 10–15 proteins, of which 116 kDa protein is phosphorylated to a higher extent by ethanol. Further, decreased phosphorylation was noticed in D-95 and D-63 proteins in neurons and D-78 and D-54 proteins in astrocytes. Alkali stability experiments for identifying the phosphoamino acid involved in phosphorylation of 116, 63 and 60 kDa proteins suggested that tyrosine and threonine are not involved and probably serine is the likely site for phosphorylation during chronic ethanol treatment. The phosphorylation of specific membrane proteins during chronic ethanol treatment might contribute to ethanol evoked cellular dysfunction.