CHRONIC SODIUM-AZIDE TREATMENT DECREASES MEMBRANE-BOUND PROTEIN-KINASE-C ACTIVITY IN THE RAT HIPPOCAMPUS

Chronic administration of sodium azide in rats inhibits cytochrome oxi dase and produces learning and memory deficits. The present experiment tested the hypothesis that chronic sodium azide treatment might also alter protein kinase C activation. Continuous infusion of sodium azide (400 mu g/h, sc) in rats for 2 weeks significantly decreases membrane -bound protein kinase C in hippocampus, but not frontal cortex, tempor al cortex, or cerebellum. Since protein kinase C activation is correla ted with hippocampus-dependent learning, these results suggest a possi ble biochemical mechanism for azide-induced impairment of learning. (C ) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.