RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 A specific inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II provides neuroprotection against NMDA- and hypoxia/hypoglycemia-induced cell death JF The Journal of Neuroscience JO J. Neurosci. FD Society for Neuroscience SP 4093 OP 4101 DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.15-05-04093.1995 VO 15 IS 5 A1 I Hajimohammadreza A1 AW Probert A1 LL Coughenour A1 SA Borosky A1 FW Marcoux A1 PA Boxer A1 KK Wang YR 1995 UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/15/5/4093.abstract AB Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II (CamK-II) is a major neuronal protein which plays a significant role in the cellular process of long-term potentiation (LTP), and vesicular release of neurotransmitters. Here, we show that KN-62, 1-[N,O-bis(5- isoquinolinesulfonyl)-N-methyl-L-tyrosyl]-4- phenylpiperazine, a specific cell-permeable inhibitor of CamK-II substantially protected neurons from (1) acute NMDA toxicity and (2) hypoxia/hypoglycemia- induced neuronal injury in fetal rat cortical cultures. KN-62 did not directly inhibit glutamate, kainate, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4- isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), glycine, or [piperidyl-3,4-(N)]-(N-[1-(2- thienyl)cyclohexyl]-3,4-piperidine) (TCP) binding to rat brain membranes. Finally, KN-62 significantly reduced cellular calcium accumulation following either NMDA challenge or hypoxia/hypoglycemia insult. Our results show that CamK-II plays a key role in mediating some of the biochemical events leading to cell death following an acute excitotoxic insult.