γ-Aminobutyric acid receptors revealed on cultured neurons

Aminooxyacetic acid induced accumulation of GABA in the rat brain. Interaction with GABA receptors and distribution in compartments

The effect of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA, 90 mg/kg i.v.) on bicuculline, picrotoxin and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) induced convulsions and on GABA concentrations in cerebellum, whole brain and a synaptosomal fraction of whole brain was investigated. At various intervals after AOAA the rats were either injected with one of the convulsive drugs or sacrificed for analysis of the GABA concentration. AOAA caused a rapid initial (0-30 min) and a later slower increase of GABA in cerebellum and whole brain. In the synaptosomal fraction the GABA accumulation was delayed and less pronounced when compared to the whole brain. The bicuculline induced convulsions were markedly potentiated during the first hour but completely blocked from 2-6 h after AOAA. Picrotoxin showed a somewhat different pattern to bicuculline in the interactions with AOAA. The initial strong potentiation was not observed but the later phase of protection was present. In the interactions with 3-MPA, the effect of AOAA was always protective. The time to onset of convulsions was gradually increased during the first 30 min after AOAA. This protective effect remained practically unchanged up to 6 h after AOAA. However, once started, the convulsions were generally of the same duration and intensity. The results can be interpreted as GABA accumulating after AOAA stimulates GABA receptors to a degree more or less proportional to the whole brain GABA concentration and further that GABA synthetized in neurons is liberated, stimulates inhibitory bicuculline sensitive (predominant) and excitatory bicuculline insensitive receptors and is captured to a large extent by non-neuronal cells.