Use of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to characterize protein synthesis during neuronal death in cerebellar culture.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed to further investigate the biochemical changes in protein synthesis observed in two neuronal death models, induced respectively by cytosine arabinoside and glutamate. These drugs induced, respectively, apoptotic and necrotic types of cell death in cerebellar cultures, as previously reported. Most of the proteins showed decreased labeling after toxic exposure, as expected, but some polypeptides showed increased labeling or appeared to be newly synthesized. The identification of these polypeptides and their implication in neuronal death are discussed.