Splice variant specific increase in Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase 1‐gamma mRNA expression in response to acute pyrethroid exposure

In mammals, pyrethroids are neurotoxicants that interfere with ion channel function in excitable neuronal membranes. Previous work demonstrated increases in the expression of Ca²⁺/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase 1‐gamma (Camk1g) mRNA following acute deltamethrin and permethrin exposure. In the rat, this gene is expressed as two distinct splice variants, Camk1g1 and Camk1g2. The present study tests the hypothesis that changes in Camk1g mRNA expression in the rat following acute pyrethroid exposure are due to a specific increase in the Camk1g1 splice variant and not the Camk1g2 splice variant. Long‐Evans rats were acutely exposed to permethrin, deltamethrin, or corn oil vehicle. Frontal cortex was collected at 6 h postdosing. In addition, rats were exposed to permethrin (100 mg/kg) or deltamethrin (3 mg/kg), and frontal cortex was collected at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, or 24 h along with time‐matched vehicle controls. Expression of Camk1g1 and Camk1g2 mRNA was measured by quantitative real‐time RT‐PCR and quantified using the 2^{‐Δ Δ C}T method. Dose‐dependent increases in Camk1g1 mRNA expression were observed for both pyrethroids at 6 h. In addition, a dose‐dependent increase in Camk1g2 was observed at 6 h although it was very small in magnitude. The increases in Camk1g1 expression for deltamethrin and permethrin peak between 3 and 6 h postexposure and returns to control levels by 9 h. There was no increase in CAMK1G1 protein as measured with Western blots. The present data demonstrate that pyrethroid‐induced changes in Camk1g are driven mainly by increased expression of the Camk1g1 splice variant. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 24:174–186, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20324