title: G proteins in carotid body chemoreception.
abstract: G proteins are signal coupling molecules that play major roles in mediating the effects of transmitters as well as certain sensory signals. In the present study we examined whether oxygen chemoreception in the carotid body is coupled to G proteins. Experiments were performed on carotid bodies isolated from anesthetized cats. Presence of G proteins was examined with ADP-ribosylation of the carotid body membranes. Pertussis toxin (PTX), which inactivates G proteins in neuronal tissues, ADP-ribosylated a single band of carotid body protein with a molecular mass of 41 kDa. With cholera toxin (CTX) only a faint band of protein corresponding to approximately 45 kDa was evident. Perfusing the isolated carotid bodies with PTX (2.5 micrograms/min; 60 min) attenuated the sensory response to hypoxia by 52% of the controls. Perfusion with CTX (50 micrograms/min; for 60 min), on the other hand, increased baseline activity and potentiated the hypoxic response by 125% of controls. Heat-inactivated toxins, however, had no influence on the carotid body sensory response to hypoxia. These results suggest that G proteins are present in the chemoreceptor tissue and they seem to be coupled to the transduction and/or to the transmission of the hypoxic stimulus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
authors.forename: Y R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Kou
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002415:Cats; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D010100:Oxygen