Seizure-induced expression of G proteins in the rat hippocampus

The effects of kainic acid (15 mg/kg i.p.) on alpha subunits of the Gs and Go protein mRNA levels in the rat hippocampal formation were investigated. An in situ hybridization study showed an increase in the Gs alpha mRNA level in the dentate gyrus at 3 h (by ca. 17%), 24 h (by ca. 75%), 72 h (by ca. 89%) and 30 days (by ca. 59%) after kainic acid administration. An emulsion autoradiography revealed enhancement in the Gs alpha mRNA signal intensity over granular cells of the dentate gyrus and over some hilar cells adjacent to the granule cell layer, most likely in GABA interneurons. The Gs alpha mRNA showed a slight tendency to increase in the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cell layers at 3 h after kainic acid administration, but it decreased after 24 h, 72 h and 30 days. The latter decrease correlated well with the pyramidal cells loss in those areas. Kainic acid differently influenced the Go alpha mRNA level in the dentate gyrus: it had no effect after 3 h, while after 24 h the mRNA level tended to decrease (by ca. 16%); then it increased after 72 h (by ca. 20%) and, to a lesser extent, after 30 days (by ca. 12%). The Go alpha mRNA level in CA1 and CA3 tended to decrease at 3 h after kainic acid administration; the signal completely disappeared after 24, 72 h as well as after 30 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)