My close encounter with GABA(B) receptors

Direct modulation of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels

Ion channels play a pivotal role in regulating cellular excitability and signal transduction processes. Among the various ion channels, G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels serve as key mediators of neurotransmission and cellular responses to extracellular signals. GIRK channels are members of the larger family of inwardly-rectifying potassium (Kir) channels. Typically, GIRK channels are activated via the direct binding of G-protein βγ subunits upon the activation of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GIRK channel activation requires the presence of the lipid signaling molecule, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). GIRK channels are also modulated by endogenous proteins and other molecules, including RGS proteins, cholesterol, and SNX27 as well as exogenous compounds, such as alcohol. In the last decade or so, several groups have developed novel drugs and small molecules, such as ML297, GAT1508 and GiGA1, that activate GIRK channels in a G-protein independent manner. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview focusing on the direct modulation of GIRK channels by G-proteins, PIP2, cholesterol, and novel modulatory compounds. These studies offer valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of channel function, and have potential implications for both basic research and therapeutic development.

Excitatory/inhibitory motor balance reflects individual differences during joint action coordination

Joint action (JA) is a continuous process of motor co-regulation based on the integration of contextual (top-down) and kinematic (bottom-up) cues from partners. The fine equilibrium between excitation and inhibition in sensorimotor circuits is, thus, central to such a dynamic process of action selection and execution. In a bimanual task adapted to become a unimanual JA task, the participant held a bottle (JA), while a confederate had to reach and unscrew either that bottle or another stabilized by a mechanical clamp (No_JA). Prior knowledge was manipulated in each trial such that the participant knew (K) or not (No_K) the target bottle in advance. Online transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was administered at action-relevant landmarks to explore corticospinal excitability (CSE) and inhibition (cortical silent period [cSP]). CSE was modulated early on before the action started if prior information was available. In contrast, cSP modulation emerged later during the reaching action, regardless of prior information. These two indexes could thus reflect the concurrent elaboration of contextual priors (top-down) and the online sampling of partner's kinematic cues (bottom-up). Furthermore, participants selected either one of two possible behavioural strategies, preferring early or late force exertion on the bottle. One translates into a reduced risk of motor coordination failure and the other into reduced metabolic expenditure. Each strategy was characterised by a specific excitatory/inhibitory profile. In conclusion, the study of excitatory/inhibitory balance paves the way for the neurophysiological determination of individual differences in the combination of top-down and bottom-up processing during JA coordination.

Excitatory drive to spinal motoneurones is necessary for serotonin to modulate motoneurone excitability via 5-HT2 receptors in humans

Serotonin modulates corticospinal excitability, motoneurone firing rates and contractile strength via 5-HT2 receptors. However, the effects of these receptors on cortical and motoneurone excitability during voluntary contractions have not been explored in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how 5-HT2 antagonism affects corticospinal and motoneuronal excitability with and without descending drive to motoneurones. Twelve individuals (aged 24 ± 4 years) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, whereby the 5-HT2 antagonist cyproheptadine was administered. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was delivered to the motor cortex to produce motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and electrical stimulation at the cervicomedullary junction was used to generate cervicomedullary motor evoked potentials (CMEPs) in the biceps brachii at rest and during a range of submaximal elbow flexions. Evoked potentials were also obtained after a conditioning TMS pulse to produce conditioned MEPs and CMEPs (100 ms inter-stimulus interval). 5-HT2 antagonism reduced maximal torque (p < 0.001), and compared to placebo, reduced unconditioned MEP amplitude at rest (p = 0.003), conditioned MEP amplitude at rest (p = 0.033) and conditioned MEP amplitude during contractions (p = 0.020). 5-HT2 antagonism also increased unconditioned CMEP amplitude during voluntary contractions (p = 0.041) but not at rest. Although 5-HT2 antagonism increased long-interval intracortical inhibition, net corticospinal excitability was unaffected during voluntary contractions. Given that spinal motoneurone excitability was only affected when descending drive to motoneurones was present, the current study indicates that excitatory drive is necessary for 5-HT2 receptors to regulate motoneurone excitability but not intracortical circuits.

Somatostatin interneurons inhibit excitatory transmission mediated by astrocytic GABAB and presynaptic GABAB and adenosine A1 receptors in the hippocampus

GABAergic network activity has been established to be involved in numerous physiological processes and pathological conditions. Extensive studies have corroborated that GABAergic network activity regulates excitatory synaptic networks by activating presynaptic GABA_B receptors (GABA_B Rs). It is well documented that astrocytes express GABA_B Rs and respond to GABAergic network activity. However, little is known about whether astrocytic GABA_B Rs regulate excitatory synaptic transmission mediated by GABAergic network activity. To address this issue, we combined whole-cell recordings, optogenetics, calcium imaging, and pharmacological approaches to specifically activate hippocampal somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SOM-INs), a type of interneuron that targets pyramidal cell dendrites, while monitoring excitatory synaptic transmission in CA1 pyramidal cells. We found that optogenetic stimulation of SOM-INs increases astrocyte Ca²⁺ signaling via the activation of astrocytic GABA_B Rs and GAT-3. SOM-INs depress excitatory neurotransmission by activating presynaptic GABA_B Rs and astrocytic GABA_B Rs, the latter inducing the release of ATP/adenosine. In turn, adenosine inhibits excitatory synaptic transmission by activating presynaptic adenosine A₁ receptors (A₁ Rs). Overall, our results reveal a novel mechanism that SOM-INs activation-induced synaptic depression is partially mediated by the activation of astrocytic GABA_B Rs.

Mechanisms and Regulation of Neuronal GABAB Receptor-Dependent Signaling

γ-Aminobutyric acid B receptors (GABA_BRs) are broadly expressed throughout the central nervous system where they play an important role in regulating neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission. GABA_BRs are G protein-coupled receptors that mediate slow and sustained inhibitory actions via modulation of several downstream effector enzymes and ion channels. GABA_BRs are obligate heterodimers that associate with diverse arrays of proteins to form modular complexes that carry out distinct physiological functions. GABA_BR-dependent signaling is fine-tuned and regulated through a multitude of mechanisms that are relevant to physiological and pathophysiological states. This review summarizes the current knowledge on GABA_BR signal transduction and discusses key factors that influence the strength and sensitivity of GABA_BR-dependent signaling in neurons.

Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Baclofen

Baclofen, β-(4-chlorophenyl)-γ-aminobutyric acid, holds a unique position in neuroscience, remaining the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GABA_B agonist. While intended to be a more brain penetrant, i.e, ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), version of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) for the potential treatment of epilepsy, baclofen's highly efficacious muscle relaxant properties led to its approval, as a racemate, for the treatment of spasticity. Interestingly, baclofen received FDA approval before its receptor, GABA_B, was discovered and its exact mechanism of action was known. In recent times, baclofen has a myriad of off-label uses, with the treatment for alcohol abuse and drug addiction garnering a great deal of attention. This Review aims to capture the >60 year legacy of baclofen by walking through the history, pharmacology, synthesis, drug metabolism, routes of administration, and societal impact of this Classic in chemical neuroscience.

Ion Channels Controlling Circadian Rhythms in Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Excitability

Animals synchronize to the environmental day-night cycle by means of an internal circadian clock in the brain. In mammals, this timekeeping mechanism is housed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus and is entrained by light input from the retina. One output of the SCN is a neural code for circadian time, which arises from the collective activity of neurons within the SCN circuit and comprises two fundamental components: 1) periodic alterations in the spontaneous excitability of individual neurons that result in higher firing rates during the day and lower firing rates at night, and 2) synchronization of these cellular oscillations throughout the SCN. In this review, we summarize current evidence for the identity of ion channels in SCN neurons and the mechanisms by which they set the rhythmic parameters of the time code. During the day, voltage-dependent and independent Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ currents, as well as several K⁺ currents, contribute to increased membrane excitability and therefore higher firing frequency. At night, an increase in different K⁺ currents, including Ca²⁺-activated BK currents, contribute to membrane hyperpolarization and decreased firing. Layered on top of these intrinsically regulated changes in membrane excitability, more than a dozen neuromodulators influence action potential activity and rhythmicity in SCN neurons, facilitating both synchronization and plasticity of the neural code.

Down syndrome

Down syndrome (DS; Trisomy 21) is the most common chromosomal disorder in humans. It has numerous associated neurologic phenotypes including intellectual disability, sleep apnea, seizures, behavioral problems, and dementia. With improved access to medical care, people with DS are living longer than ever before. As more individuals with DS reach old age, the necessity for further life span research is essential and cannot be overstated. There is currently a scarcity of information on common medical conditions encountered as individuals with DS progress into adulthood and old age. Conflicting information and uncertainty about the relative risk of dementia for adults with DS is a source of distress for the DS community that creates a major obstacle to proper evaluation and treatment. In this chapter, we discuss the salient neurologic phenotypes of DS, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and current understanding of their biologic bases and management.

A KCNJ6 gene polymorphism modulates theta oscillations during reward processing

Event related oscillations (EROs) are heritable measures of neurocognitive function that have served as useful phenotype in genetic research. A recent family genome-wide association study (GWAS) by the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) found that theta EROs during visual target detection were associated at genome-wide levels with several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including a synonymous SNP, rs702859, in the KCNJ6 gene that encodes GIRK2, a G-protein inward rectifying potassium channel that regulates excitability of neuronal networks. The present study examined the effect of the KCNJ6 SNP (rs702859), previously associated with theta ERO to targets in a visual oddball task, on theta EROs during reward processing in a monetary gambling task. The participants were 1601 adolescent and young adult offspring within the age-range of 17-25years (800 males and 801 females) from high-dense alcoholism families as well as control families of the COGA prospective study. Theta ERO power (3.5-7.5Hz, 200-500ms post-stimulus) was compared across genotype groups. ERO theta power at central and parietal regions increased as a function of the minor allele (A) dose in the genotype (AA>AG>GG) in both loss and gain conditions. These findings indicate that variations in the KCNJ6 SNP influence magnitude of theta oscillations at posterior loci during the evaluation of loss and gain, reflecting a genetic influence on neuronal circuits involved in reward-processing. Increased theta power as a function of minor allele dose suggests more efficient cognitive processing in those carrying the minor allele of the KCNJ6 SNPs. Future studies are needed to determine the implications of these genetic effects on posterior theta EROs as possible "protective" factors, or as indices of delays in brain maturation (i.e., lack of frontalization).

Evidence that increased Kcnj6 gene dose is necessary for deficits in behavior and dentate gyrus synaptic plasticity in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome

Down syndrome (DS), trisomy 21, is caused by increased dose of genes present on human chromosome 21 (HSA21). The gene-dose hypothesis argues that a change in the dose of individual genes or regulatory sequences on HSA21 is necessary for creating DS-related phenotypes, including cognitive impairment. We focused on a possible role for Kcnj6, the gene encoding Kir3.2 (Girk2) subunits of a G-protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium channel. This gene resides on a segment of mouse Chromosome 16 that is present in one extra copy in the genome of the Ts65Dn mouse, a well-studied genetic model of DS. Kir3.2 subunit-containing potassium channels serve as effectors for a number of postsynaptic metabotropic receptors including GABAB receptors. Several studies raise the possibility that increased Kcnj6 dose contributes to synaptic and cognitive abnormalities in DS. To assess directly a role for Kcnj6 gene dose in cognitive deficits in DS, we produced Ts65Dn mice that harbor only 2 copies of Kcnj6 (Ts65Dn:Kcnj6++- mice). The reduction in Kcnj6 gene dose restored to normal the hippocampal level of Kir3.2. Long-term memory, examined in the novel object recognition test with the retention period of 24h, was improved to the level observed in the normosomic littermate control mice (2N:Kcnj6++). Significantly, both short-term and long-term potentiation (STP and LTP) was improved to control levels in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the Ts65Dn:Kcnj6++- mouse. In view of the ability of fluoxetine to suppress Kir3.2 channels, we asked if fluoxetine-treated DG slices of Ts65Dn:Kcnj6+++ mice would rescue synaptic plasticity. Fluoxetine increased STP and LTP to control levels. These results are evidence that increased Kcnj6 gene dose is necessary for synaptic and cognitive dysfunction in the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS. Strategies aimed at pharmacologically reducing channel function should be explored for enhancing cognition in DS.

The GABAergic Hypothesis for Cognitive Disabilities in Down Syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of a third copy of chromosome 21. DS affects multiple organs, but it invariably results in altered brain development and diverse degrees of intellectual disability. A large body of evidence has shown that synaptic deficits and memory impairment are largely determined by altered GABAergic signaling in trisomic mouse models of DS. These alterations arise during brain development while extending into adulthood, and include genesis of GABAergic neurons, variation of the inhibitory drive and modifications in the control of neural-network excitability. Accordingly, different pharmacological interventions targeting GABAergic signaling have proven promising preclinical approaches to rescue cognitive impairment in DS mouse models. In this review, we will discuss recent data regarding the complex scenario of GABAergic dysfunctions in the trisomic brain of DS mice and patients, and we will evaluate the state of current clinical research targeting GABAergic signaling in individuals with DS.

Signaling molecules of the CNS as targets of autoimmunity

Ion channels and receptors are the fundamental basis for neuronal communication in the nervous system and are important targets of autoimmunity. The different neuronal domains contain a unique repertoire of voltage-gated Na(+) (Nav), Ca(2+) (Cav), and K(+) (Kv), as well as other K(+) channels and hyperpolarization-gated cyclic nucleotide-regulated channels. The distinct ion channel distribution defines the electrophysiologic properties of different subtypes of neurons. The different neuronal compartments also express neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, or ionotropic receptors, as well as G protein-coupled receptors. Of particular relevance in the central nervous system are excitatory glutamate receptors and inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid and glycine receptors. The interactions among different ion channels and receptors regulate neuronal excitability; frequency and pattern of firing of action potentials (AP); propagation of the AP along the axon; neurotransmitter release at synaptic terminals; AP backpropagation from the axon initial segment to the somatodendritic domain; dendritic integration of synaptic signals; and use-dependent plasticity.

GABAB receptor subtypes differentially modulate synaptic inhibition in the dentate gyrus to enhance granule cell output

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Activation of GABAB receptors in the dentate gyrus (DG) enhances granule cell (GC) activity by reducing synaptic inhibition imposed by hilar interneurons. This disinhibitory action facilitates signal transfer from the perforant path to the hippocampus. However, as the two main molecular subtypes, GABA(B(1a,2)) and GABA(B(1b,2)) receptors, prefer axonal terminal and dendritic compartments, respectively, they may modulate the hilar pathways at different synaptic localizations. We examined their relative expression and functions in the DG.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The localization of GABAB subtypes was revealed immunohistochemically using subunit-selective antibodies in GABA(B1a)(-/-) and GABA(B1b)(-/-) mice. Effects of subtype activation by the GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen, were examined on the perforant path-stimulated GC population activities in brain slices.

KEY RESULTS

GABA(B(1a,2)) receptors were concentrated in the inner molecular layer, the neuropil of the hilus and hilar neurons at the border zone; while GABA(B(1b,2)) receptors dominated the outer molecular layer and hilar neurons in the deep layer, showing their differential localization on GC dendrite and in the hilus. Baclofen enhanced the GC population spike to a larger extent in the GABA(B1b)(-/-) mice, demonstrating exclusively disinhibitory roles of the GABA(B(1a,2)) receptors. Conversely, in the GABA(B1a)(-/-) mice baclofen not only enhanced but also inhibited the population spike during GABAA blockade, revealing both disinhibitory and inhibitory effects of GABA(B(1b,2)) receptors.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The GABA(B(1a,2)) and GABA(B(1b,2)) receptor subtypes differentially modulate GC outputs via selective axonal terminal and dendritic locations in the hilar pathways. The GABA(B(1a,2)) receptors exclusively mediate disinhibition, thereby playing a greater role in gating signal transfer for hippocampal spatial and pattern learning.

Evidence for an excitatory GABAA response in human motor cortex in idiopathic generalised epilepsy

PURPOSE

Impaired GABAergic inhibition has been implicated in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. The possibility of a paradoxical excitatory effect of GABA in epilepsy has been suggested, but has not been investigated in vivo. We investigated pre- and post-synaptic GABAergic mechanisms in patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE).

METHOD

In 10 patients and 12 control subjects we explored short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI, LICI; post-synaptic GABAA and GABAB-mediated respectively) and long-interval intracortical facilitation (LICF; pre-synaptic disinhibition) using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

RESULTS

While post-synaptic GABAB-mediated inhibition was unchanged in IGE (p=0.09), LICF was reduced compared to controls (controls: 141±17% of baseline; untreated patients: 107±12%, p=0.2; treated patients: 79±10%, p=0.003). GABAA-mediated inhibition was reduced in untreated patients (response amplitude 56±4% of baseline vs. 26±6% in controls, p=0.004) and normalised with treatment (37±12%, p=0.5 vs. controls). When measured during LICI, GABAA-mediated inhibition became excitatory in untreated IGE (response amplitude 120±10% of baseline, p=0.017), but not in treated patients.

CONCLUSION

Pre- and post-synaptic GABA-mediated inhibitory mechanisms are altered in IGE. The findings lend in vivo support to evidence from experimental models and in vitro studies of human epileptic brain tissue that GABA may have a paradoxical excitatory role in ictogenesis.

Identification of novel autoantibodies to GABA(B) receptors in patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

The gamma-aminobutyric acid type B receptors (GABAR(B)) are G-protein coupled receptors for GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. We identified GABAR(B) subunits as candidate antigens in patients with SLE using a random peptide display library. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible link between anti-GABAR(B) antibodies and disease activity and NPSLE.

METHODS

ELISA was performed with recombinant proteins of GABAR(B1b) and GABAR(B2) on serum samples from patients with SLE (n = 88), scleroderma (n = 20), myositis (n = 20) or vasculitis (n = 20) as well as healthy subjects (n = 20). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 23 patients with SLE was also examined.

RESULTS

Autoantibodies to GABAR(Bs) were exclusive to patients with SLE (P < 0.001) and positively associated with SLEDAI (anti-GABAR(B1b), P = 0.001; anti-GABAR(B2), P < 0.001). Of note, autoantibodies were positively linked with NPSLE (anti-GABAR(B1b), P = 0.02; anti-GABAR(B2), P = 0.03). Moreover, anti-GABAR(Bs) was detected in 61.5% of CSF samples from patients with active NPSLE, a frequency that was significantly higher than that for patients with non-SLE syndromes.

CONCLUSION

Anti-GABAR(B) antibodies could represent novel candidate markers for disease activity and NPSLE.

Taurine regulation of voltage-gated channels in retinal neurons

Taurine activates not only Cl(-)-permeable ionotropic receptors but also receptors that mediate metabotropic responses. The metabotropic property of taurine was revealed in electrophysiological recordings obtained after fully blocking Cl(-)-permeable receptors with an inhibitory "cocktail" consisting of picrotoxin, SR95531, and strychnine. We found that taurine's metabotropic effects regulate voltage-gated channels in retinal neurons. After applying the inhibitory cocktail, taurine enhanced delayed outward rectifier K(+) channels preferentially in Off-bipolar cells, and the effect was completely blocked by the specific PKC inhibitor, GF109203X. Additionally, taurine also acted through a metabotropic pathway to suppress both L- and N-type Ca(2+) channels in retinal neurons, which were insensitive to the potent GABA(B) receptor inhibitor, CGP55845. This study reinforces our previous finding that taurine in physiological concentrations produces a multiplicity of metabotropic effects that precisely govern the integration of signals being transmitted from the retina to the brain.

Family-based genome-wide association study of frontal θ oscillations identifies potassium channel gene KCNJ6

Event-related oscillations (EROs) represent highly heritable neuroelectric correlates of cognitive processes that manifest deficits in alcoholics and in offspring at high risk to develop alcoholism. Theta ERO to targets in the visual oddball task has been shown to be an endophenotype for alcoholism. A family-based genome-wide association study was performed for the frontal theta ERO phenotype using 634 583 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped in 1560 family members from 117 families densely affected by alcohol use disorders, recruited in the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Genome-wide significant association was found with several SNPs on chromosome 21 in KCNJ6 (a potassium inward rectifier channel; KIR3.2/GIRK2), with the most significant SNP at P = 4.7 × 10(-10)). The same SNPs were also associated with EROs from central and parietal electrodes, but with less significance, suggesting that the association is frontally focused. One imputed synonymous SNP in exon four, highly correlated with our top three SNPs, was significantly associated with the frontal theta ERO phenotype. These results suggest KCNJ6 or its product GIRK2 account for some of the variations in frontal theta band oscillations. GIRK2 receptor activation contributes to slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials that modulate neuronal excitability, and therefore influence neuronal networks.

Epileptiform activity in the CA1 region of the hippocampus becomes refractory to attenuation by cannabinoids in part because of endogenous γ-aminobutyric acid type B receptor activity

The anticonvulsant properties of marijuana have been known for centuries. The recently characterized endogenous cannabinoid system thus represents a promising target for novel anticonvulsant agents; however, administration of exogenous cannabinoids has shown mixed results in both human epilepsy and animal models. The ability of cannabinoids to attenuate release of both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters may explain the variable effects of cannabinoids in different models of epilepsy, but this has not been well explored. Using acute mouse brain slices, we monitored field potentials in the CA1 region of the hippocampus to characterize systematically the effects of the cannabinoid agonist WIN55212-2 (WIN) on evoked basal and epileptiform activity. WIN, acting presynaptically, significantly reduced the amplitude and slope of basal field excitatory postsynaptic potentials as well as stimulus-evoked epileptiform responses induced by omission of magnesium from the extracellular solution. In contrast, the combination of omission of magnesium plus elevation of potassium induced an epileptiform response that was refractory to attenuation by WIN. The effect of WIN in this model was partially restored by blocking γ-aminobutyric acid type B (GABA(B) ), but not GABA(A) , receptors. Subtle differences in models of epileptiform activity can profoundly alter the efficacy of cannabinoids. Endogenous GABA(B) receptor activation played a role in the decreased cannabinoid sensitivity observed for epileptiform activity induced by omission of magnesium plus elevation of potassium. These results suggest that interplay between presynaptic G protein-coupled receptors with overlapping downstream targets may underlie the variable efficacy of cannabinoids in different models of epilepsy.

The mammalian interaural time difference detection circuit is differentially controlled by GABAB receptors during development

Throughout development GABA(B) receptors (GABA(B)Rs) are widely expressed in the mammalian brain. In mature auditory brainstem neurons, GABA(B)Rs are involved in the short-term regulation of the strength and dynamics of excitatory and inhibitory inputs, thus modulating sound analysis. During development, GABA(B)Rs also contribute to long-term changes in input strength. Using a combination of whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in acute brain slices and immunostainings in gerbils, we characterized developmental changes in GABA(B)R-mediated regulation of synaptic inputs to neurons in the medial superior olive (MSO), an auditory brainstem nucleus that analyzes interaural time differences (ITDs). Here, we show that, before hearing onset, GABA(B)R-mediated depression of transmitter release is much stronger for excitation than inhibition, whereas in mature animals GABA(B)Rs mainly control the inhibition. During the same developmental period, GABA(B)R immunoreactivity shifts from the dendritic to the somatic region of the MSO. Furthermore, only before hearing onset (postnatal day 12), stimulation of the fibers originating in the medial and the lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB and LNTB) activates GABA(B)Rs on both the inhibitory and the excitatory inputs. After hearing onset, GAD65-positive endings devoid of glycine transporter reactivity suggest GABA release from sources other than the MNTB and LNTB. At this age, pharmacological increase of spontaneous synaptic release activates GABA(B)Rs only on the inhibitory inputs. This indicates not only a profound inhibitory effect of GABA(B)Rs on the major inputs to MSO neurons in neonatal animals but also a direct modulatory role of GABA(B)Rs for ITD analysis in the MSO of adult animals.

Plasticity of postsynaptic, but not presynaptic, GABAB receptors in SSADH deficient mice

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency is an autosomal-recessively inherited disorder of gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) catabolism characterized by ataxia and epilepsy. Since SSADH is responsible for GABA break-down downstream of GABA transaminase, patients manifest high extracellular levels of GABA, as well as the GABA(B) receptor (GABA(B)R) agonist gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). SSADH knockout (KO) mice display absence seizures, which progress into lethal tonic-clonic seizures at around 3weeks of age. It is hypothesized that desensitization of GABA(B)Rs plays an important role in the disease, although detailed studies of pre- and postsynaptic GABA(B)Rs are not available. We performed patch-clamp recordings from layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in neocortical brain slices of wild-type (WT) and SSADH KO mice. Electrical stimulation of GABAergic fibers during wash in of the GABA(B)R agonist baclofen revealed no difference in presynaptic GABA(B)R mediated inhibition of GABA release between WT and SSADH KO mice. In contrast, a significant decrease in postsynaptic baclofen-induced potassium currents was seen in SSADH KO mice. This reduction was unlikely to be caused by accumulation of potassium, GABA or GHB in the brain slices, or an altered expression of regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins. Finally, adenosine-induced potassium currents were also reduced in SSADH KO mice, which could suggest heterologous desensitization of the G-protein dependent effectors, leading to a reduction in G-protein coupled inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channel responses. Our findings indicate that high GABA and GHB levels desensitize postsynaptic, but not certain presynaptic, GABA(B)Rs, promoting a decrease in GIRK channel function. These changes could contribute to the development of seizures in SSADH KO mice and potentially also in affected patients.

Native GABA(B) receptors are heteromultimers with a family of auxiliary subunits

GABA(B) receptors are the G-protein-coupled receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. They are expressed in almost all neurons of the brain, where they regulate synaptic transmission and signal propagation by controlling the activity of voltage-gated calcium (Ca(v)) and inward-rectifier potassium (K(ir)) channels. Molecular cloning revealed that functional GABA(B) receptors are formed by the heteromeric assembly of GABA(B1) with GABA(B2) subunits. However, cloned GABA(B(1,2)) receptors failed to reproduce the functional diversity observed with native GABA(B) receptors. Here we show by functional proteomics that GABA(B) receptors in the brain are high-molecular-mass complexes of GABA(B1), GABA(B2) and members of a subfamily of the KCTD (potassium channel tetramerization domain-containing) proteins. KCTD proteins 8, 12, 12b and 16 show distinct expression profiles in the brain and associate tightly with the carboxy terminus of GABA(B2) as tetramers. This co-assembly changes the properties of the GABA(B(1,2)) core receptor: the KCTD proteins increase agonist potency and markedly alter the G-protein signalling of the receptors by accelerating onset and promoting desensitization in a KCTD-subtype-specific manner. Taken together, our results establish the KCTD proteins as auxiliary subunits of GABA(B) receptors that determine the pharmacology and kinetics of the receptor response.

Emerging roles for G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in health and disease

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels hyperpolarize neurons in response to activation of many different G protein-coupled receptors and thus control the excitability of neurons through GIRK-mediated self-inhibition, slow synaptic potentials and volume transmission. GIRK channel function and trafficking are highly dependent on the channel subunit composition. Pharmacological investigations of GIRK channels and studies in animal models suggest that GIRK activity has an important role in physiological responses, including pain perception and memory modulation. Moreover, abnormal GIRK function has been implicated in altering neuronal excitability and cell death, which may be important in the pathophysiology of diseases such as epilepsy, Down's syndrome, Parkinson's disease and drug addiction. GIRK channels may therefore prove to be a valuable new therapeutic target.

GABAB receptors: physiological functions and mechanisms of diversity

GABA(B) receptors are the G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. GABA(B) receptors are implicated in the etiology of a variety of psychiatric disorders and are considered attractive drug targets. With the cloning of GABA(B) receptor subunits 13 years ago, substantial progress was made in the understanding of the molecular structure, physiology, and pharmacology of these receptors. However, it remained puzzling that native studies demonstrated a heterogeneity of GABA(B) responses that contrasted with a very limited diversity of cloned GABA(B) receptor subunits. Until recently, the only firmly established molecular diversity consisted of two GABA(B1) subunit isoforms, GABA(B1a) and GABA(B1b), which assemble with GABA(B2) subunits to generate heterodimeric GABA(B(1a,2)) and GABA(B(1b,2)) receptors. Using genetic, ultrastructural, biochemical, and electrophysiological approaches, it has been possible to identify functional properties that segregate with these two receptors. Moreover, receptor modifications and factors that can alter the receptor response have been identified. Most importantly, recent data reveal the existence of a family of auxiliary GABA(B) receptor subunits that assemble as tetramers with the C-terminal domain of GABA(B2) subunits and drastically alter pharmacology and kinetics of the receptor response. The data are most consistent with native GABA(B) receptors minimally forming dimeric assemblies of units composed of GABA(B1), GABA(B2), and a tetramer of auxiliary subunits. This represents a substantial departure from current structural concepts for GPCRs.

Late Cortical Disinhibition in Human Motor Cortex: A Triple-Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study

In human motor cortex transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used to identify short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) corresponding to γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) effects and long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) and the cortical silent period (SP) corresponding to postsynaptic GABAB effects. Presynaptic GABAB effects, corresponding to disinhibition, can also be identified with TMS and have been shown to be acting during LICI by measuring SICI after a suprathreshold priming stimulus (PS). The duration of disinhibition is not certain and, guided by studies in experimental preparations, we hypothesized that it may be longer-lasting than postsynaptic inhibition, leading to a period of late cortical disinhibition and consequently a net increase in corticospinal excitability. We tested this first by measuring the motor-evoked potential (MEP) to a test stimulus (TS), delivered after a PS at interpulse intervals (IPIs) ≤300 ms that encompassed the period of PS-induced LICI and its aftermath. MEP amplitude was initially decreased, but then increased at IPIs of 190–210 ms, reaching 160 ± 17% of baseline 200 ms after PS ( P < 0.05). SP duration was 181 ± 5 ms. A second experiment established that the onset of the later period of increased excitability correlated with PS intensity ( r2 = 0.99) and with the duration of the SP ( r2 = 0.99). The third and main experiment demonstrated that SICI was significantly reduced in strength at all IPIs ≤220 ms after PS. We conclude that TMS-induced LICI is associated with a period of disinhibition that is at first masked by LICI, but that outlasts LICI and gives rise to a period during which disinhibition predominates and net excitability is raised. Identification of this late period of disinhibition in human motor cortex may provide an opportunity to explore or modulate the behavior of excitatory networks at a time when inhibitory effects are restrained.

GABA transporter GAT1: a crucial determinant of GABAB receptor activation in cortical circuits?

The GABA transporter 1 (GAT1), the main plasma membrane GABA transporter in brain tissue, mediates translocation of GABA from the extracellular to the intracellular space. Whereas GAT1-mediated uptake could generally terminate the synaptic effects of GABA, recent studies suggest a more complex physiological role. This chapter reviews evidence suggesting that in hippocampal and neocortical circuits, GAT1-mediated GABA transport regulates the electrophysiological effects of GABA(B) receptor (GABA(B)R) activation by synaptically-released GABA. Contrasting with synaptic GABA(A) receptors, GABA(B)Rs display high GABA binding affinity, slow G protein-coupled mediated signaling, and a predominantly extrasynaptic localization. Such GABA(B)R properties determine production of slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) and slow presynaptic effects. Such effects possibly require diffusion of GABA far away from the release sites, and consequently both GABA(B)R-mediated IPSPs and presynaptic effects are strongly enhanced when GAT1-mediated uptake is blocked. Studies are reviewed here which indicate that GABA(B)R-mediated IPSPs seem to be produced by dendrite-targeting GABA neurons including specifically, although perhaps not exclusively, the neurogliaform cell class. In contrast, the GABA interneuron subtypes that synapse onto the perisomatic membrane of pyramidal cells mostly signal via synaptic GABA(A)Rs. This chapter reviews data suggesting that neurogliaform cells produce electrophysiological effects onto other neurons in the cortical cell network via GABA(B)R-mediated volume transmission that is highly regulated by GAT1 activity. Therefore, the role of GAT1 in controlling GABA(B)R-mediated signaling is markedly different from its regulation of GABA(A)R-mediated fast synaptic transmission.

Antibodies to the GABA(B) receptor in limbic encephalitis with seizures: case series and characterisation of the antigen

BACKGROUND

Some encephalitides or seizure disorders once thought idiopathic now seem to be immune mediated. We aimed to describe the clinical features of one such disorder and to identify the autoantigen involved.

METHODS

15 patients who were suspected to have paraneoplastic or immune-mediated limbic encephalitis were clinically assessed. Confocal microscopy, immunoprecipitation, and mass spectrometry were used to characterise the autoantigen. An assay of HEK293 cells transfected with rodent GABA(B1) or GABA(B2) receptor subunits was used as a serological test. 91 patients with encephalitis suspected to be paraneoplastic or immune mediated and 13 individuals with syndromes associated with antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 were used as controls.

FINDINGS

All patients presented with early or prominent seizures; other symptoms, MRI, and electroencephalography findings were consistent with predominant limbic dysfunction. All patients had antibodies (mainly IgG1) against a neuronal cell-surface antigen; in three patients antibodies were detected only in CSF. Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry showed that the antibodies recognise the B1 subunit of the GABA(B) receptor, an inhibitory receptor that has been associated with seizures and memory dysfunction when disrupted. Confocal microscopy showed colocalisation of the antibody with GABA(B) receptors. Seven of 15 patients had tumours, five of which were small-cell lung cancer, and seven patients had non-neuronal autoantibodies. Although nine of ten patients who received immunotherapy and cancer treatment (when a tumour was found) showed neurological improvement, none of the four patients who were not similarly treated improved (p=0.005). Low levels of GABA(B1) receptor antibodies were identified in two of 104 controls (p<0.0001).

INTERPRETATION

GABA(B) receptor autoimmune encephalitis is a potentially treatable disorder characterised by seizures and, in some patients, associated with small-cell lung cancer and with other autoantibodies.

FUNDING

National Institutes of Health.

Activity-mediated plasticity of GABA equilibrium potential in rat hippocampal CA1 neurons

The equilibrium potential (E(GABA)(-PSC)) for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (PSCs) in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons shifts when theta-burst stimulation (four pulses at 100 Hz in each burst in a train consisting of five bursts with an inter-burst interval of 200 ms, the train repeated thrice at 30-s intervals) is applied to the input. E(GABA)(-PSC) is regulated by K(+)/Cl(-) co-transporter (KCC2). GABA(B) receptors are implicated in modulating KCC2 levels. In the current study, the involvement of KCC2, as well as GABA(B) receptors, in theta-burst-mediated shifts in E(GABA)(-PSC) was examined. Whole-cell patch recordings were made from hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons (from 9 to 12 days old rats), in a slice preparation. Glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents were blocked with dl-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (50 microM) and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (20 microM). The PSC and the E(GABA)(-PSC) were stable when stimulated at 0.05 Hz. However, both changed following a 30-min stimulation at 0.5 or 1 Hz. Furosemide (500 microM) and KCC2 anti-sense in the recording pipette but not bumetanide (20 or 100 microM) or KCC2 sense, blocked the changes, suggesting KCC2 involvement. Theta-burst stimulation induced a negative shift in E(GABA)(-PSC), which was prevented by KCC2 anti-sense; however, KCC2 sense had no effect. CGP55845 (2 microM), a GABA(B) antagonist, applied in the superfusing medium, or GDP-beta-S in the recording pipette, blocked the shift in E(GABA)(-PSC). These results indicate that activity-mediated plasticity in E(GABA)(-PSC) occurs in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and theta-burst-induced negative shift in E(GABA)(-PSC) requires KCC2, GABA(B) receptors and G-protein activation.

Tonic activation of GABAB receptors reduces release probability at inhibitory connections in the cerebellar glomerulus

In the cerebellum, granule cells are inhibited by Golgi cells through GABAergic synapses generating complex responses involving both phasic neurotransmitter release and the establishment of ambient gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels. Although at this synapse the mechanisms of postsynaptic integration have been clarified to a considerable extent, the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release remained largely unknown. Here we have investigated the quantal properties of release during repetitive neurotransmission, revealing that tonic GABA(B) receptor activation by ambient GABA regulates release probability. Blocking GABA(B) receptors with CGP55845 enhanced the first inhibitory postsynaptic current (IPSC) and short-term depression in a train while reducing trial-to-trial variability and failures. The changes caused by CGP55845 were similar to those caused by increasing extracellular Ca(2+) concentration, in agreement with a presynaptic GABA(B) receptor modulation of release probability. However, the slow tail following IPSC peak demonstrated a remarkable temporal summation and was not modified by CGP55845 or extracellular Ca(2+) increase. This result shows that tonic activation of presynaptic GABA(B) receptors by ambient GABA selectively regulates the onset of inhibition bearing potential consequences for the dynamic regulation of signal transmission through the mossy fiber-granule cell pathway of the cerebellum.

GABA-B(1) receptors are coupled to the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway in the absence of GABA-B(2) subunits

In the current model of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) B receptor function, there is a requirement for GABA-B(1/2) heterodimerisation for targetting to the cell surface. However, different lines of evidence suggest that the GABA-B(1) subunit can form a functional receptor in the absence of GABA-B(2). We observed coupling of endogenous GABA-B(1) receptors in the DI-TNC1 glial cell line to the ERK pathway in response to baclofen even though these cells do not express GABA-B(2). GABA-B(1A) receptors were also able to mediate a rapid, transient, and dose-dependent activation of the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway when transfected alone into HEK 293 cells. The response was abolished by G(i/o) and MEK inhibition, potentiated by inhibitors of phospholipase C and protein kinase C and did not involve PI-3-kinase activity. Finally, using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer and co-immunoprecipitation, we show the existence of homodimeric GABA-B(1A) receptors in transfected HEK293 cells. Altogether, our observations show that GABA-B(1A) receptors are able to activate the ERK1/2 pathway despite the absence of surface targetting partner GABA-B(2) in both HEK 293 cells and the DI-TNC1 cell line.

Retrograde GABA signaling adjusts sound localization by balancing excitation and inhibition in the brainstem

Central processing of acoustic cues is critically dependent on the balance between excitation and inhibition. This balance is particularly important for auditory neurons in the lateral superior olive, because these compare excitatory inputs from one ear and inhibitory inputs from the other ear to compute sound source location. By applying GABA(B) receptor antagonists during sound stimulation in vivo, it was revealed that these neurons adjust their binaural sensitivity through GABA(B) receptors. Using an in vitro approach, we then demonstrate that these neurons release GABA during spiking activity. Consequently, GABA differentially regulates transmitter release from the excitatory and inhibitory terminals via feedback to presynaptic GABA(B) receptors. Modulation of the synaptic input strength, by putative retrograde release of neurotransmitter, may enable these auditory neurons to rapidly adjust the balance between excitation and inhibition, and thus their binaural sensitivity, which could play an important role as an adaptation to various listening situations.

Distinctions among GABAA and GABAB responses revealed by calcium channel antagonists, cannabinoids, opioids, and synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampus

RATIONALE

Hippocampal interneurons release gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and produce fast GABA(A)- and slow GABA(B)-inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs). The regulation of GABA(B) eIPSPs or the interneurons that produce them are not well understood. In addition, while both micro-opioid receptors (microORs) and cannabinoid CB1R receptors (CB1Rs) are present on hippocampal interneurons, it is not clear how these two systems interact.

OBJECTIVES

This study tests the hypotheses that: (1) all interneurons can initiate both GABA(A) and GABA(B) inhibitory postsynaptic potentials; (2) GABA(B) responses are insensitive to mGluR-triggered, endocannabinoid (eCB)-mediated inhibitory long-term depression (iLTD); (3) GABA(B) responses are produced by interneurons that express microOR; and (4) CB1R-dependent and microOR-dependent response interact.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pharmacological and electrophysiological approaches were used in acute rat hippocampal slices. High resistance microelectrode recordings were made from pyramidal cells, while interneurons were stimulated extracellularly.

RESULTS

GABA(B) responses were found to be produced by interneurons that release GABA via either presynaptic N-type or P/Q-type calcium channels but that they are insensitive to suppression by eCBs or eCB-mediated iLTD. GABA(B) IPSPs were sensitive to suppression by a microOR agonist, suggesting a major source of GABA(B) responses is the microOR-expressing interneuron population. A small eCB-iLTD (10% eIPSP reduction) persisted in conotoxin. eCB-iLTD was blocked by a microOR agonist in 6/13 slices.

CONCLUSIONS

GABA(B) responses cannot be produced by all interneurons. CB1R or microOR agonists will differentially alter the balance of activity in hippocampal circuits. CB1R- and microOR-mediated responses can interact.

Embryonically expressed GABA and glutamate drive electrical activity regulating neurotransmitter specification

Neurotransmitter signaling in the mature nervous system is well understood, but the functions of transmitters in the immature nervous system are less clear. Although transmitters released during embryogenesis regulate neuronal proliferation and migration, little is known about their role in regulating early neuronal differentiation. Here, we show that GABA and glutamate drive calcium-dependent embryonic electrical activity that regulates transmitter specification. The number of neurons expressing different transmitters changes when GABA or glutamate signaling is blocked chronically, either using morpholinos to knock down transmitter-synthetic enzymes or applying pharmacological receptor antagonists during a sensitive period of development. We find that calcium spikes are triggered by metabotropic GABA and glutamate receptors, which engage protein kinases A and C. The results reveal a novel role for embryonically expressed neurotransmitters.

Presynaptic metabotropic glutamate and GABAB receptors

Glutamate and GABA, the two most abundant neurotransmitters in the mammalian central nervous system, can act on metabotropic receptors that are structurally quite dissimilar from those targeted by most other neurotransmitters/modulators. Accordingly, metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and GABA(B) receptors (GABA(B)Rs) are classified as members of family 3 (or family C) of G protein-coupled receptors. On the other hand, mGluRs and GABA(B)Rs exhibit pronounced and partly unresolved differences between each other. The most intriguing difference is that mGluRs exist as multiple pharmacologically as well as structurally distinct subtypes, whereas, in the case of GABA(B)Rs, molecular biologists have so far identified only one structurally distinct heterodimeric complex whose few variants seem unable to explain the pharmacological heterogeneity of GABA(B)Rs observed in many functional studies. Both mGluRs and GABA(B)Rs can be localized on axon terminals of different neuronal systems as presynaptic autoreceptors and heteroreceptors modulating the exocytosis of various transmitters.

Possible differences between the time courses of presynaptic and postsynaptic GABAB mediated inhibition in the human motor cortex

Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to non-invasively evaluate human motor cortical inhibitory circuits such as short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and long interval intracortical inhibition (LICI). Pharmacological studies suggested that SICI is mediated by GABA(A) receptors while LICI is probably mediated by GABA(B) receptors. A previous study also showed that SICI and LICI are mediated by separate neuronal populations and that LICI inhibits SICI, possibly through presynaptic GABA(B) receptors. The aim of this study was to examine whether the time course of motor-evoked potentials (MEP) inhibition by LICI, likely mediated through postsynaptic GABA(B) receptors, is different from SICI inhibition by LICI, likely mediated through presynaptic GABA(B) receptors. Nine healthy volunteers were studied and MEP were recorded from the first dorsal interosseous muscle. A triple-stimulus TMS paradigm was used to evaluate the effect of LICI at ISIs of 100 and 150 ms on SICI. LICI at 100 and 150 ms caused a similar degree of MEP inhibition. LICI at 100 ms led to a significant reduction of SICI but LICI at 150 ms had no effect on SICI. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between the LICI mediated inhibition of SICI and ISI (P = 0.0072). These findings suggest that the time courses of presynaptic and postsynaptic GABA(B) receptors mediated inhibition are different in the human motor cortex.

Sodium valproate stimulates potassium and chloride urinary excretion in rats: gender differences

BACKGROUND

The diuretic effect of valproates and its relation to urinary potassium (K+) and chloride (Cl-) excretion have not yet been investigated, so the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a single dose of sodium valproate (NaVPA) on 24-h urinary K+ and Cl- excretion in young adult Wistar rats of both genders. For measurement of K+ in urine, the same animals and samples as in our earlier publication were used (Pharmacology 2005 Nov, 75:111-115). The authors propose a new approach to the pathophysiological mechanisms of NaVPA effect on K+ and Cl- metabolism. Twenty six Wistar rats were examined after a single intragastric administration of 300 mg/kg NaVPA (13 NaVPA-male and 13 NaVPA-female), 28 control intact Wistar rats (14 males and 14 females) were studied as a control group. The 24-h urinary K+, Cl-, creatinine and pH levels were measured.

RESULTS

Total 24-h diuresis and 24-h diuresis per 100 g of body weight were found to be significantly higher in NaVPA-rats of both genders than in rats of the control group (p < 0.05). The data showed NaVPA to enhance 24-h K+ excretion in NaVPA-males and NaVPA-females with significant gender-related differences: 24-h K+ excretion in NaVPA-male rats was significantly higher than in control males (p = 0.003) and NaVPA-female rats (p < 0.001). Regarding the 24-h K+ excretion, NaVPA-female rats did not show a statistically significant difference versus females of the control group (p > 0.05). 24-h urinary K+ excretion per 100 g of body weight in NaVPA-male rats was significantly higher than in control males (p = 0.025). NaVPA enhanced Cl- urinary excretion: 24-h Cl- urinary excretion, 24-h urinary Cl- excretion per 100 g of body weight and the Cl-/creatinine ratio were significantly higher in NaVPA-male and NaVPA-female rats than in gender-matched controls (p < 0.05). 24-h chloriduretic response to NaVPA in male rats was significantly higher than in female rats (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

NaVPA causes kaliuretic and chloriduretic effects with gender-related differences in rats. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate the mechanism of such pharmacological effects of NaVPA.

A delayed response enhancement during hippocampal presynaptic plasticity in mice

High frequency afferent stimulation of chemical synapses often induces short-term increases in synaptic efficacy, due to increased release probability and/or increased supply of readily releasable synaptic vesicles. This may be followed by synaptic depression, often caused by vesicle depletion. We here describe an additional, novel type of delayed and transient response enhancement phase which occurred during prolonged stimulation at 5-20 Hz frequency of excitatory glutamatergic synapses in slices from the adult mouse CA1 hippocampal region. This second enhancement phase, which was most clearly defined at physiological temperatures and essentially absent at 24 degrees C, was dependent on the presence of F-actin filaments and synapsins I and/or II, and could not be ascribed to changes in presynaptic action potentials, inhibitory neurotransmission or glutamate receptor desensitization. Time course studies showed that the delayed response phase interrupted the synaptic decay 3-4 s after stimulus train initiation and continued, when examined at 5-10 Hz frequencies, for approximately 75 stimuli before decay. The novel response enhancement, probably deriving from a restricted pool of synaptic vesicles, may allow maintenance of synaptic efficacy during prolonged periods of excitatory synaptic activity.

Presynaptic GABAA receptors facilitate GABAergic transmission to dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area of young rats

Gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABA(A)R)-mediated postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) were recorded from dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area of young rats in acute brain slices and from mechanically dissociated neurons. Low concentrations (0.1-0.3 microm) of muscimol, a selective GABA(A)R agonist, increased the amplitude, and reduced the paired pulse ratio of evoked IPSCs. Moreover, muscimol increased the frequency but not the amplitude of spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs). These data point to a presynaptic locus of muscimol action. It is interesting that 1 microm muscimol caused an inhibition of sIPSCs, which was reversed to potentiation by the GABA(B) receptor antagonist CGP52432. Isoguvacine, a selective GABA(A)R agonist that belongs to a different class, mimicked the effects of muscimol on sIPSCs: it increased them at low ( Collapse

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MESH Headings

• Animals
• Cadmium/pharmacology
• Dopamine/metabolism
• GABA Agonists/pharmacology
• In Vitro Techniques
• Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials/drug effects
• Muscimol/pharmacology
• Neurons/metabolism
• Neurons/physiology
• Presynaptic Terminals/metabolism
• Protein Isoforms/physiology
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Receptors, GABA-A/physiology
• Synaptic Transmission/physiology
• Tetrodotoxin/pharmacology
• Ventral Tegmental Area/cytology
• Ventral Tegmental Area/metabolism
• Ventral Tegmental Area/physiology
• gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/physiology

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Grants

• R01 AA011989 NIAAA NIH HHS
• AT 001182 NCCIH NIH HHS
• R21 AT001182 NCCIH NIH HHS
• AA015925 NIAAA NIH HHS
• AA11989 NIAAA NIH HHS
• R21 AA015925 NIAAA NIH HHS

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Affiliation(s)

Cheng Xiao Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
Chunyi Zhou
Keyong Li
Jiang-Hong Ye

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Effect of GABAergic ligands on the anxiolytic-like activity of DOI (a 5-HT(2A/2C) agonist) in the four-plate test in mice

5-HTergic and GABAergic systems are involved in neurobiology of anxiety. Precedent studies have demonstrated that SSRIs possessed an anxiolytic-like effect in the four-plate test (FPT) at doses that did not modify spontaneous locomotor activity. This effect seems to be mediated through the activation of 5-HT(2A) postsynaptic receptors. The purpose of the present study was to examine the implication of GABA system in the anxiolytic-like activity of DOI in the FPT. To achieve this, the co-administration of DOI (5-HT(2A/2C) receptor agonists) with GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptor ligands was evaluated in the FPT. Alprazolam, diazepam and muscimol (for higher dose) potentiated the anxiolytic-like effect of DOI. Bicuculline, picrotoxin and baclofen inhibited the anxiolytic-like effect of DOI. Flumazenil and CGP 35348 had no effect on the anxiolytic-like activity of DOI. These results suggest that the GABA system seems to be strongly implicated in the anxiolytic-like activity of DOI in the FPT.

Reliable long-lasting depression interacts with variable short-term facilitation to determine corticostriatal paired-pulse plasticity in young rats

Synaptic plasticity at corticostraital synapses is proposed to fine tune movment and improve motor skills. We found paired-pulse plasticity at corticostriatal synapses reflected variably expressed short-term facilitation blended with a consistent background of longer-lasting depression. Presynaptic modulation via neuotransmitter receptor activation was ruled out as a mechanism for long-lasting paired-pulse depression by examining the effect of selective receptor antagonists. EPSC amplitude and paired-pulse plasticity, however, was influenced by block of D2 dopamine receptors. Block of glutamate transport with l-transdicarboxylic acid (PDC) reduced EPSCs, possibly through a mechanism of AMPA receptor desensitization. Removal of AMPA receptor desensitization with cyclothiazide reduced the paired-pulse depression at long-duration interstimulus intervals (ISIs), indicating that AMPA receptor desensitization participates in corticostriatal paired-pulse plasticity. The low-affinity glutamate receptor antagonist cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylic acid (PDA) increased paired-pulse depression, suggesting that a presynaptic component also exists for long-lasting paired-pulse depression. Low Ca(2+)-high Mg(2+) or BAPTA-AM dramatically reduced the amplitude of corticostriatal EPSCs and both manipulations increased the expression of facilitation and, to a lesser extent, they reduced long-lasting paired-pulse depression. EGTA-AM produced a smaller reduction in EPSC amplitude and it did not alter paired-pulse facilitation, but in contrast to low Ca(2+) and BAPTA-AM, EGTA-AM increased long-lasting paired-pulse depression. These experiments suggest that facilitation and depression are sensitive to vesicle depletion, which is dependent upon changes in peak Ca(2+) (i.e. low Ca(2+)-high Mg(2+) or BAPTA-AM). In addition, the action of EGTA-AM suggests that basal Ca(2+) regulates the recovery from long-lasting paired-pulse depression, possibly thourgh a Ca(2+)-sensitive process of vesicle delivery.