Associative learning down-regulates PKCβ2-and γ-immunoreactivity in astrocytes

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Abstract
WE showed previously that associative learning induced a twofold increase in protein kinase Cγ-immunoreactivity (PKC-γ-ir) in rabbit CA1 pyramidal neurons, whereas subicular neurons remained unchanged. Here, we investigated the effects of associative learning on PKC-positive astrocytes by determining their numerical density in the CA1 region and the subiculum of naive, pseudoconditioned and trace eyeblink conditioned rabbits. Associative learning induced a 70–80% reduction in the number of PKCβ2− and γ-positive astrocytes in the CA1 region, but not in the subiculum. No changes were found in the number of PKCα- or β1-positive astrocytes in either hippocampal subregion. These results suggest a conditioning-specific downregulation of PKCβ2 and àM in a subset of astrocytes in a brain region where a simultaneous alteration in neuronal PKCγ was evident.

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