Transient up-regulation of elongation factor-2 kinase (Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase III) messenger RNA in developing mouse brain

Elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K) is a Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase that is highly specific for eukaryotic elongation factor-2. In the present study, we examined the developmental expression of eEF-2K messenger RNA (mRNA) in the mouse brain. At E13, the expression of eEF-2K mRNA is already evident in both ventricular and mantle zones throughout the neuroaxis with a rostrocaudal increasing gradient. During late embryonic and early postnatal stages, eEF-2K mRNA is transiently up-regulated in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal pyramidal cell layer. After birth, the expression of eEF-2K mRNA gradually decreased throughout the brain. In the mature brain, eEF-2K mRNA is expressed moderately only in the cerebellar and dentate granule cell layers, and weakly in the cerebral cortex, hippocampal pyramidal cell layer and olfactory bulb. These findings suggest that eEF-2K may be involved in early neuronal events such as proliferation, differentiation, and establishment of synaptic connections.