Developmental expression of neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) and WASP family verprolin-homologous protein (WAVE)-related proteins in postnatal rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus

The actin cytoskeleton plays a critical role in the cellular morphological changes. Its organization is essential for neurite extension and synaptogenesis under the processes of neuronal development. Recently, neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) and WASP family verprolin-homologous protein (WAVE) have been identified as key molecules, which specifically participate in regulation of actin cytoskeleton through small GTPases. The functions of these factors have been investigated using cultured cells; however, in vivo developmental changes in these factors are not fully understood. In this study, we examined the expression levels and distributions of N-WASP, WAVE and their related proteins in the rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus during postnatal development. Protein levels of these factors were progressively increased during development, and actin was accumulated in membranous fractions. Immunoreactivities for these factors were widely but differentially observed in entire brain. In the developing brain, N-WASP and WAVE seemed to exist in the synapse-rich areas, such as stratum radiatum of hippocampal CA1 subfield. A similar tendency in the distributions of these factors was observed in the mature brain. Taken together, N-WASP, WAVE and their related proteins may participate in normal brain development and synaptic plasticity by regulating the actin cytoskeleton.