G proteins in rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) are differentially activated as a function of oxygen status and PFC region

This study tested the hypothesis that activation of guanine nucleotide binding (G) proteins in rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) is altered by hypoxia. G protein activation by the cholinergic agonist carbachol and the opioid agonist DAMGO was quantified using [35S]GTPγS autoradiography. G protein activation was expressed as nCi/g tissue in the PFC of 18 rats exposed for 14 consecutive days to sustained hypoxia (10% O2), intermittent hypoxia (10% and 21% O2 alternating every 90 s), or room air (21% O2). Relative to basal levels of G protein activation, carbachol and DAMGO increased G protein activation by approximately 70% across all oxygen concentrations. Compared to the room air condition, sustained hypoxia caused a significant increase in G protein activation in frontal association (FrA) region of the PFC. Region-specific comparisons revealed that intermittent and sustained hypoxia caused greater DAMGO-stimulated G protein activation in the FrA than in the pre-limbic (PrL). The data show for the first time that hypoxia increased G protein activation in PFC. The results suggest the potential for hypoxia-induced enhancements in G protein activation to alter PFC function.