Abstract
Intermittent hypoxia (IH) associated with sleep apnea leads to cardio-respiratory morbidities. Previous studies have shown that IH alters the synthesis of neurotransmitters including catecholamines and neuropeptides in brainstem regions associated with regulation of cardio-respiratory functions. GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS, has been implicated in cardio-respiratory control. GABA synthesis is primarily catalyzed by glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that IH like its effect on other transmitters also alters GABA synthesis. The impact of IH on GABA synthesis was investigated in pheochromocytoma 12 cells, a neuronal cell line which is known to express active form of GAD67 in the cytosolic fraction and also assessed the underlying mechanisms contributing to IH-evoked response. Exposure of cell cultures to IH decreased GAD67 activity and GABA level. IH-evoked decrease in GAD67 activity was caused by increased cAMP - protein kinase A (PKA) - dependent phosphorylation of GAD67, but not as a result of changes in either GAD67 mRNA or protein expression. PKA inhibitor restored GAD67 activity and GABA levels in IH treated cells. Pheochromocytoma 12 cells express dopamine 1 receptor (D1R), a G-protein coupled receptor whose activation increased adenylyl cyclase activity. Treatment with either D1R antagonist or adenylyl cyclase inhibitor reversed IH-evoked GAD67 inhibition. Silencing D1R expression with siRNA reversed cAMP elevation and GAD67 inhibition by IH. These results provide evidence for the role of D1R-cAMP-PKA signaling in IH-mediated inhibition of GAD67 via protein phosphorylation resulting in down-regulation of GABA synthesis.