PK2 mRNA is up-regulated by various pathological insults in vitro. Primary cortical cultures were treated with 6 h of (A) hypoxia, (B) reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide, 750 uM), (C) corticosterone (1 uM), (D) LPS (10 ug/mL), or (E) excitotoxic glutamate (2–1,000 μM). PK2 mRNA is induced by hypoxia, reactive oxygen species, and glutamate. n = 4–6. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, Student's t test or one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc test. (F) Glutamate-induced PK2 expression is dependent on NMDA receptor activation and extracellular calcium. Error bars represent SEM. n = 7–11. ***P < 0.001, two-way ANOVA, Bonferroni's post hoc test.