# CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL NEUROFILAMENT KINASE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 1992 · $88,077

## Abstract

Neurofilaments, microtubules and actin filaments are the major
cytoskeletal filaments expressed in neuronal cells.  Neurofilament
proteins are phosphorylated during development and are among the most
heavily phosphorylated proteins expressed in brain.  However, we know
very little about the functional significance of NF protein
phosphorylation.  An understanding of NF phosphorylation is important
since in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) NFs are thought to be
hyperphosphorylated and abnormally localized in neurons.  We have begun
to characterize protein kinases that phosphorylate NF in order to begin
to understand the role of NF phosphorylation during normal development
and in aging (AD).  We have identified by NF-H affinity chromatography a
novel NF kinase in mouse brain extracts which we have termed NF kinase
115.  NF kinase 115 activity was found in protein lysates of primary
mouse neuronal cultures but not in lysates of mouse fibroblast cultures.
Since NFs are expressed only in neuronal cells the study of this kinase
is likely to be important in understanding the relevance of NF
phosphorylation in axonal function.  A related kinase has also been found
in extracts from human brain tissue.  Preliminary results indicate that
kinase activity is increased in brain extracts of patients diagnosed as
suffering from AD compared to brain extract of a non-AD control.  Since
AD is associated with altered phosphorylation of many proteins, the study
of this novel kinase may also be important in the etiology of AD.  In
this study we propose to purify the NF kinase 115 from mouse brain
extracts in order to characterize the kinase biochemically.  We will
raise antibodies to the purified kinase in order to further characterize
the protein.  We will determine the expression of NF kinase 115 during
neurite outgrowth of primary neuronal cells and of clonal cells lines
that can be induced to extend neurites by NFG treatment.  We will
determine if increased NF kinase 115 activity correlates with AD.  The
long term goal of this study is to characterize the novel kinase at a
molecular and biochemical level.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3123334
- **Project number:** 1R01AG011386-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Z9CRZKD42ZT1
- **Principal Investigator:** Mervyn J Monteiro
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $88,077
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1992-09-01 → 1995-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3123334

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3123334, CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL NEUROFILAMENT KINASE (1R01AG011386-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3123334. Licensed CC0.

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