Intracellular protein changes during pentylenetetrazole induced bursting activity in snail neurons

The intracellular protein changes during pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced bursting activity (BA) which is characteristic of seizure discharge were investigated using microdisk electrophoresis with 5 identified neurons. The identified neurons of the snail, Euhadra peliomphala, were used. The PTZ-sensitive neurons which manifest marked BA by application of PTZ were examined. PTZ induced in PTZ-sensitive neurons: (1) a prominent increase of 5-7 kdalton protein and (2) peak separation into 3 peaks of 10-15 kdalton protein. In the 5-7 and 10-15 kdalton protein, a marked increase in radioactivity of 45Ca was observed after PTZ application. PTZ-non-sensitive neurons showed neither these protein changes nor 45Ca incorporation into these proteins. The above findings suggest that during PTZ-induced BA, intracellular protein changes occurred in relation to the intracellular calcium shift.