Corticosterone alters G protein alpha-subunit levels in the rat hippocampus

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulates the synthesis and secretion of corticosteroid hormones. The hippocampus, a component of the limbic system, contains the highest concentration of corticosteroid receptors in the brain and may play an important role in regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and mediating physiological responses to stress. The corticosteroid hormone corticosterone alters the response elicited by activation of several different G protein-linked neurotransmitter receptors in the hippocampus. In the present study we used Western blot and immunohistochemical techniques to determine the effects of chronic adrenalectomy (ADX), low basal (CT) and high (HCT) corticosterone treatments on Gs, Gi1 and 2 and Go alpha-subunit levels and intracellular location in the rat hippocampus. CT treatment increased Gs alpha-subunit levels and HCT treatment increased the levels of Gs, Gi1 and 2 and Go alpha-subunits when compared to sham as detected on Western blots. No change in the intracellular location of the G protein alpha-subunits was detected using immunohistochemistry. Based on our results, we conclude that corticosterone alters G protein alpha-subunit levels in the rat hippocampus without altering their intracellular location. These results provide an important piece of information towards understanding how corticosteroids alter G protein-linked neurotransmitter receptor-mediated responses.