Fig. 5
Surface receptor expression was assessed in SHAM and PCS treated or not with sildenafil (SILD). The membrane expression of the alpha 1 subunit of GABAA receptor (A-B), NR1 and NR2a subunits of NMDA receptors (C-D) and GluR1 and GluR2 subunits of AMPA receptors (E-F) is altered in hippocampus of PCS rats and is normalized by treatment with sildenafil. Membrane expression of each subunit in hippocampus was analyzed using the BS3 crosslinker procedure as described in methods. Samples incubated in the absence or presence of BS3 were subjected to Western blotting using antibodies for each of the subunits. BS3 or sildenafil presence or absence was expressed as “+” or “-“, respectively. Representative images are shown. Samples in the absence of BS3 represent the total amount of each protein. Samples in the presence of BS3 represent the non-membrane fraction. The intensities of the bands were quantified and membrane expression was calculated as the difference of intensity between samples without and with BS3. Values are expressed as percentage of control rats and are the mean ± standard errors of 14–18 rats per group. Values significantly different from control rats are indicated by asterisks and from PCS rats by “a”. *p < 0.05;**p < 0.01; a p < 0.05