Tigabine hydrochloride, an inhibitor of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake, induces cortical depolarizations in vitro

Different effects of GABAergic anticonvulsants on 4-aminopyridine-induced spontaneous GABAergic hyperpolarizations of hippocampal pyramidal cells--implication for their potency in migraine therapy

Clinical studies indicate anti-migrane efficacy of the probably GABAergic anticonvulsants valproate and gabapentin. For the GABAergic anticonvulsants vigabatrin and tiagabine, studies about antimigrane efficacy are missing. The aim of this study was to test the GABAergic potency of these drugs in vitro before further clinical studies. Intracellular recordings were obtained from hippocampal pyramidal cells. Spontaneous GABAergic hyperpolarizations (SGH) elicited by 75 microM 4-aminopyridine were used to test the effect of these drugs on GABA-dependent potentials. Tiagabine (0.1 mM) prolonged the duration of SGH. Furthermore, monophasic SGH turned over into triphasic typical GABAergic membrane potential fluctuations within 20 min. In contrast, valproate, gabapentin, and vigabatrin failed to affect SGH up to 60 min of application. The reason for the fast action of tiagabine on SGH may be caused by a faster increase of synaptic GABA levels compared with other drugs. As migraine therapy benefits from an augmentation of GABA activity, we recommend clinical studies of tiagabine as a fast-acting agent in migraine attacks.

Activity-dependent enhancement of hyperpolarizing and depolarizing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synaptic responses following inhibition of GABA uptake by tiagabine

The effects of the 7-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake blocker tiagabine on isolated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) were examined in CA1 pyramidal cells of the rat hippocampal slice preparation. The IPSPs were elicited by either single stimuli or by high frequency (100 Hz, 200 ms) stimulation (HFS) of inhibitory interneurons. Bath applied tiagabine (20 microM) produced little or no increase in the amplitude of IPSPs evoked by low (30-50 microA) or high (200-400 microA) intensity single stimuli. Only the duration of IPSPs evoked by high intensity stimuli was substantially prolonged by tiagabine, the time integral of the hyperpolarizing response being increased 3.2-fold. HFS elicited much larger fast and slow IPSPs than a single stimulus. In addition, with increments in the intensity (80-550 microA) of HFS, a GABA(A) receptor-mediated depolarizing response of progressively larger amplitude appeared between, and overlapped with, the fast and slow hyperpolarizing components of the IPSP. Tiagabine application markedly increased the GABA-mediated responses evoked by both low and high intensity HFS. Increasing the intensity of HFS enhanced the drug effect. Thus, measurements of the time integral of evoked responses showed that with weak (60 microA) HFS, tiagabine caused a 3.6-fold increase in the area of hyperpolarization while, in contrast, with strong (530 microA) HFS, tiagabine produced a 13.5-fold increase in the depolarizing actions of GABA. Our results suggest that tiagabine, a therapeutically effective anticonvulsant, may paradoxically increase, through a GABA(A) receptor-mediated mechanism, neuronal depolarization during the high frequency discharge of neurons involved in epileptiform activity.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a GABA transporter from the CNS of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni

A cDNA encoding a GABA transporter in the caterpillar Trichoplusia ni has been cloned and expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells. The cDNA contains an ORF encoding a 608-residue protein, designated TrnGAT. Hydropathy analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence suggests 12 transmembrane domains, a structure similar to that of all other cloned Na+/Cl(-)-dependent GABA transporters. The deduced amino acid sequence shows high identity with a GABA transporter (MasGAT) expressed in the embryo of Manduca sexta. Expression of TrnGAT mRNA was detected only in the brain. Sf21 cells infected with recombinant baculovirus exhibited a 20- to 30-fold increase in [3H]GABA uptake compared to control-infected cells. Several blockers of GABA uptake were used to determine the pharmacological profile of TrnGAT. Although most similar to mammalian neuronal GABA transporter GAT-1 in its kinetic properties, stoichiometry of ionic dependence and pharmacological properties, TrnGAT may be distinguished from mammalian GAT-1 by the inability of cyclic GABA analogues, such as nipecotic acid and its derivatives, to inhibit GABA uptake by the insect protein. The unique pharmacology of TrnGAT suggests that the GABA transport system in the lepidopteran CNS could be a useful target in the future development of rapidly-acting neuroactive agents used to control agriculturally-important insects.

Blockade of GABA uptake potentiates GABA-induced depolarizations in adult mouse cortical slices

The electrophysiological effects of GABA and the GABA uptake inhibitor, NO-711, were investigated on cortical slices prepared from adult audiogenic seizure-prone DBA/2 mice. GABA, perfused for 1 min, elicited depolarizing responses which had a mean duration of 80-100 s and were concentration-dependent (0.1-32 mM). NO-711 (25 microM), perfused for 15 min, produced depolarizations with a mean duration of 50-60 s and these persisted for 4-5 h. The responses to both compounds were blocked by the GABA(A) receptor antagonist, bicuculline. Pre-treatment of the slices with NO-711 potentiated the responses to GABA and moved the concentration-response curve to the left. The EC50 to GABA following pre-treatment with NO-711 was 111+/-24 microM from a control value of 1.17+/-0.19 mM. These results demonstrate that in cortical slices GABA has a depolarizing action rather than the conventional one of hyperpolarization and that this response is potentiated by inhibition of GABA reuptake.

GABA-evoked depolarisations in the rat cortical wedge: involvement of GABAA receptors and HCO3- ions

The effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was investigated on cortical wedges prepared from male Sprague-Dawley rats. GABA evoked concentration-dependent depolarisations (EC50: 0.8 mM), which were attenuated by up to 60% when bicarbonate-buffered aCSF was replaced with HEPES-buffered aCSF. Responses to 1 mM GABA were attenuated by (-)-bicuculline and picrotoxin and were potentiated by chlordiazepoxide and pentobarbitone. Ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists had no effect. We conclude that GABA-evoked depolarisations are mediated via GABAA receptors, arising in part from HCO3- efflux from cells.