Background/aims: Although protein kinase C-γ (PKC-γ) is a target for the effects of volatile anesthetics, the molecular mechanisms of the kinase function during their action remain unclear. We examined the effects of different types of anesthetics on PKC-γ knockout mice. Furthermore, we investigated the dynamics of the kinase in brain cells obtained from mice anesthetized with these anesthetics.
Methods: We measured the required times for loss of righting reflex (rtfLORR) after administration of isoflurane, sevoflurane, or propofol on PKC-γ knockout mice and compared the times with those of wild-type mice. We also used immunoblotting to investigate the intracellular distribution of PKC-γ and phosphorylated PKC-γ (p-PKC-γ) in brain cell fractions obtained from wild-type mice during the loss of righting reflex induced by these anesthetics.
Results: Isoflurane (2.6%) and sevoflurane (3.4%) used at twice the minimum alveolar concentration significantly prolonged the rtfLORRs in PKC-γ knockout mice compared to those in wild-type mice. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed between knockout and wild-type mice treated with propofol (200 mg/kg). Examination of the cellular fractions isolated from volatile anesthetic-treated mouse brains showed that PKC-γ was significantly decreased in the synaptic membrane fraction (P2), whereas p-PKC-γ was significantly increased in P2. There was no significant change in the supernatant fraction (S). In propofol-treated mice, PKC-γ and p-PKC-γ showed no significant changes in P2 or S.
Conclusion: Our results provide new evidence to support the possibility of the involvement of PKC-γ in the actions of volatile anesthetics.
Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.