Penland SN, Morrow AL. 3alpha,5beta-Reduced cortisol exhibits antagonist properties on cerebral cortical GABA(A) receptors.
Eur J Pharmacol 2005;
506:129-32. [PMID:
15588732 DOI:
10.1016/j.ejphar.2004.11.007]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2004] [Accepted: 11/02/2004] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The tetrahydro-reduced derivatives of progesterone and deoxycorticosterone, allopregnanolone, and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone are potent positive modulators of GABA(A) receptors that are elevated by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation in rodents. In humans, 11-deoxycortisol and cortisol are important hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis steroids. We hypothesized that C(3,5) reduction of 11-deoxycortisol and cortisol generates steroids with GABA(A) receptor activity. 3alpha,5beta-Reduced cortisol dose-dependently inhibited muscimol-stimulated chloride flux and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone potentiation of muscimol responses. Cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, 5alpha-dihydrocortisol, 3alpha,5alpha-reduced cortisol, 3alpha,5alpha-reduced 11-deoxycortisol, and 3alpha,5beta-reduced 11-deoxycortisol had no activity at 1 muM and weaker negative modulatory activity at 10 muM. We conclude that cortisol metabolism may produce antagonistic GABAergic activity.
Collapse