G-protein coupled receptors may have a role in mediating the antiepileptogenic effect of low-frequency stimulation (LFS) on kindling acquisition. This effect is accompanied by changes at the intracellular level of cAMP. In the present study, the effect of rolipram as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor on the antiepileptogenic effect of LFS was investigated. Meanwhile, the expression of αs- and αi-subunit of G proteins and regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins following LFS application was measured. Male Wistar rats were kindled by perforant path stimulation in a semi-rapid kindling manner (12 stimulations per day) during a period of 6days. Application of LFS (0.1ms pulse duration at 1Hz, 200 pulses, 50-150μA, 5min after termination of daily kindling stimulations) to the perforant path retarded the kindling development and prevented the kindling-induced potentiation and kindling-induced changes in paired pulse indices in the dentate gyrus. Intra-cerebroventricular microinjection of rolipram (0.25μM) partially prevented these LFS effects. Twenty-four hours after the last kindling stimulation, the dentate gyrus was removed and changes in protein expression were measured by Western blotting. There was no significant difference in the expression of α-subunit of Gs and Gi/o proteins in different experimental groups. However, application of LFS during the kindling procedure decreased the expression RGS4 and RGS10 proteins (that reduce the activity of Gi/o) and prevented the kindling-induced decrease of RGS2 protein (which reduces the Gs activity). Therefore, it can be postulated that the Gi/o protein signaling pathways may be involved in antiepileptogenetic effect of LFS, and this is why decreasing the cAMP metabolism by rolipram attenuates this effect of LFS.
Keywords: Brain stimulation; Dentate gyrus; Regulators of G-protein signaling; Seizure.
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