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Activation of the Rat α1β2ε GABA A Receptor by Orthosteric and Allosteric Agonists. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070868. [PMID: 35883422 PMCID: PMC9312946 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
GABAA receptors are a major contributor to fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain. The receptors are activated upon binding the transmitter GABA or allosteric agonists including a number of GABAergic anesthetics and neurosteroids. Functional receptors can be formed by various combinations of the nineteen GABAA subunits cloned to date. GABAA receptors containing the ε subunit exhibit a significant degree of constitutive activity and have been suggested to be unresponsive to allosteric agents. In this study, we have characterized the functional properties of the rat α1β2ε GABAA receptor. We confirm that the α1β2ε receptor exhibits a higher level of constitutive activity than typical of GABAA receptors and show that it is inefficaciously activated by the transmitter and the allosteric agonists propofol, pentobarbital, and allopregnanolone. Manipulations intended to alter ε subunit expression and receptor stoichiometry were largely without effect on receptor properties including sensitivity to GABA and allosteric agonists. Surprisingly, amino acid substitutions at the conserved 9' and 6' positions in the second transmembrane (TM2) domain in the ε subunit did not elicit the expected functional effects of increased constitutive activity and resistance to the channel blocker picrotoxin, respectively. We tested the accessibility of TM2 residues mutated to cysteine using the cysteine-modifying reagent 4-(hydroxymercuri)benzoic acid and found a unique pattern of water-accessible residues in the ε subunit.
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Belelli D, Hales TG, Lambert JJ, Luscher B, Olsen R, Peters JA, Rudolph U, Sieghart W. GABA A receptors in GtoPdb v.2021.3. IUPHAR/BPS GUIDE TO PHARMACOLOGY CITE 2021; 2021. [PMID: 35005623 DOI: 10.2218/gtopdb/f72/2021.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The GABAA receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel of the Cys-loop family that includes the nicotinic acetylcholine, 5-HT3 and strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors. GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition within the CNS occurs by fast synaptic transmission, sustained tonic inhibition and temporally intermediate events that have been termed 'GABAA, slow' [45]. GABAA receptors exist as pentamers of 4TM subunits that form an intrinsic anion selective channel. Sequences of six α, three β, three γ, one δ, three ρ, one ε, one π and one θ GABAA receptor subunits have been reported in mammals [278, 235, 236, 283]. The π-subunit is restricted to reproductive tissue. Alternatively spliced versions of many subunits exist (e.g. α4- and α6- (both not functional) α5-, β2-, β3- and γ2), along with RNA editing of the α3 subunit [71]. The three ρ-subunits, (ρ1-3) function as either homo- or hetero-oligomeric assemblies [359, 50]. Receptors formed from ρ-subunits, because of their distinctive pharmacology that includes insensitivity to bicuculline, benzodiazepines and barbiturates, have sometimes been termed GABAC receptors [359], but they are classified as GABA A receptors by NC-IUPHAR on the basis of structural and functional criteria [16, 235, 236]. Many GABAA receptor subtypes contain α-, β- and γ-subunits with the likely stoichiometry 2α.2β.1γ [168, 235]. It is thought that the majority of GABAA receptors harbour a single type of α- and β - subunit variant. The α1β2γ2 hetero-oligomer constitutes the largest population of GABAA receptors in the CNS, followed by the α2β3γ2 and α3β3γ2 isoforms. Receptors that incorporate the α4- α5-or α 6-subunit, or the β1-, γ1-, γ3-, δ-, ε- and θ-subunits, are less numerous, but they may nonetheless serve important functions. For example, extrasynaptically located receptors that contain α6- and δ-subunits in cerebellar granule cells, or an α4- and δ-subunit in dentate gyrus granule cells and thalamic neurones, mediate a tonic current that is important for neuronal excitability in response to ambient concentrations of GABA [209, 272, 83, 19, 288]. GABA binding occurs at the β+/α- subunit interface and the homologous γ+/α- subunits interface creates the benzodiazepine site. A second site for benzodiazepine binding has recently been postulated to occur at the α+/β- interface ([254]; reviewed by [282]). The particular α-and γ-subunit isoforms exhibit marked effects on recognition and/or efficacy at the benzodiazepine site. Thus, receptors incorporating either α4- or α6-subunits are not recognised by 'classical' benzodiazepines, such as flunitrazepam (but see [356]). The trafficking, cell surface expression, internalisation and function of GABAA receptors and their subunits are discussed in detail in several recent reviews [52, 140, 188, 316] but one point worthy of note is that receptors incorporating the γ2 subunit (except when associated with α5) cluster at the postsynaptic membrane (but may distribute dynamically between synaptic and extrasynaptic locations), whereas as those incorporating the δ subunit appear to be exclusively extrasynaptic. NC-IUPHAR [16, 235, 3, 2] class the GABAA receptors according to their subunit structure, pharmacology and receptor function. Currently, eleven native GABAA receptors are classed as conclusively identified (i.e., α1β2γ2, α1βγ2, α3βγ2, α4βγ2, α4β2δ, α4β3δ, α5βγ2, α6βγ2, α6β2δ, α6β3δ and ρ) with further receptor isoforms occurring with high probability, or only tentatively [235, 236]. It is beyond the scope of this Guide to discuss the pharmacology of individual GABAA receptor isoforms in detail; such information can be gleaned in the reviews [16, 95, 168, 173, 143, 278, 216, 235, 236] and [9, 10]. Agents that discriminate between α-subunit isoforms are noted in the table and additional agents that demonstrate selectivity between receptor isoforms, for example via β-subunit selectivity, are indicated in the text below. The distinctive agonist and antagonist pharmacology of ρ receptors is summarised in the table and additional aspects are reviewed in [359, 50, 145, 223]. Several high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures have been described in which the full-length human α1β3γ2L GABAA receptor in lipid nanodiscs is bound to the channel-blocker picrotoxin, the competitive antagonist bicuculline, the agonist GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), and the classical benzodiazepines alprazolam and diazepam [198].
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Serrano-Regal MP, Bayón-Cordero L, Ordaz RP, Garay E, Limon A, Arellano RO, Matute C, Sánchez-Gómez MV. Expression and Function of GABA Receptors in Myelinating Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:256. [PMID: 32973453 PMCID: PMC7472887 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Myelin facilitates the fast transmission of nerve impulses and provides metabolic support to axons. Differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and Schwann cell (SC) precursors is critical for myelination during development and myelin repair in demyelinating disorders. Myelination is tightly controlled by neuron-glia communication and requires the participation of a wide repertoire of signals, including neurotransmitters such as glutamate, ATP, adenosine, or γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) and it is also present in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The composition and function of GABA receptors (GABARs) are well studied in neurons, while their nature and role in glial cells are still incipient. Recent studies demonstrate that GABA-mediated signaling mechanisms play relevant roles in OPC and SC precursor development and function, and stand out the implication of GABARs in oligodendrocyte (OL) and SC maturation and myelination. In this review, we highlight the evidence supporting the novel role of GABA with an emphasis on the molecular identity of the receptors expressed in these glial cells and the possible signaling pathways involved in their actions. GABAergic signaling in myelinating cells may have potential implications for developing novel reparative therapies in demyelinating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Paz Serrano-Regal
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Leioa, Spain
| | - Laura Bayón-Cordero
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Leioa, Spain
| | - Rainald Pablo Ordaz
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Edith Garay
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Agenor Limon
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Rogelio O. Arellano
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Carlos Matute
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Leioa, Spain
| | - María Victoria Sánchez-Gómez
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Leioa, Spain
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Abstract
Current GABAergic sleep-promoting medications were developed pragmatically, without making use of the immense diversity of GABAA receptors. Pharmacogenetic experiments are leading to an understanding of the circuit mechanisms in the hypothalamus by which zolpidem and similar compounds induce sleep at α2βγ2-type GABAA receptors. Drugs acting at more selective receptor types, for example, at receptors containing the α2 and/or α3 subunits expressed in hypothalamic and brain stem areas, could in principle be useful as hypnotics/anxiolytics. A highly promising sleep-promoting drug, gaboxadol, which activates αβδ-type receptors failed in clinical trials. Thus, for the time being, drugs such as zolpidem, which work as positive allosteric modulators at GABAA receptors, continue to be some of the most effective compounds to treat primary insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Wisden
- Department Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - X Yu
- Department Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - N P Franks
- Department Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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Phulera S, Zhu H, Yu J, Claxton DP, Yoder N, Yoshioka C, Gouaux E. Cryo-EM structure of the benzodiazepine-sensitive α1β1γ2S tri-heteromeric GABA A receptor in complex with GABA. eLife 2018; 7:39383. [PMID: 30044221 PMCID: PMC6086659 DOI: 10.7554/elife.39383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian nervous system is largely mediated by GABAA receptors, chloride-selective members of the superfamily of pentameric Cys-loop receptors. Native GABAA receptors are heteromeric assemblies sensitive to many important drugs, from sedatives to anesthetics and anticonvulsant agents, with mutant forms of GABAA receptors implicated in multiple neurological diseases. Despite the profound importance of heteromeric GABAA receptors in neuroscience and medicine, they have proven recalcitrant to structure determination. Here we present the structure of a tri-heteromeric α1β1γ2SEM GABAA receptor in complex with GABA, determined by single particle cryo-EM at 3.1–3.8 Å resolution, elucidating molecular principles of receptor assembly and agonist binding. Remarkable N-linked glycosylation on the α1 subunit occludes the extracellular vestibule of the ion channel and is poised to modulate receptor assembly and perhaps ion channel gating. Our work provides a pathway to structural studies of heteromeric GABAA receptors and a framework for rational design of novel therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swastik Phulera
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Hongtao Zhu
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Jie Yu
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Derek P Claxton
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Nate Yoder
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Craig Yoshioka
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Eric Gouaux
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
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Fritschy JM, Panzanelli P. GABAAreceptors and plasticity of inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1845-65. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology; University of Zurich; Winterthurerstrasse 190 8057 Zurich Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich; University of Zurich and ETH; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Panzanelli
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini; University of Turin; Turin Italy
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Histamine-gated ion channels in mammals? Biochem Pharmacol 2012; 83:1127-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2011.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 12/07/2011] [Accepted: 12/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Oberlander JG, Porter DM, Penatti CAA, Henderson LP. Anabolic androgenic steroid abuse: multiple mechanisms of regulation of GABAergic synapses in neuroendocrine control regions of the rodent forebrain. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:202-14. [PMID: 21554430 PMCID: PMC3168686 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02151.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic derivatives of testosterone originally developed for clinical purposes but are now predominantly taken at suprapharmacological levels as drugs of abuse. To date, almost 100 different AAS compounds that vary in metabolic fate and physiological effects have been designed and synthesised. Although they are administered for their ability to enhance muscle mass and performance, untoward side effects of AAS use include changes in reproductive and sexual behaviours. Specifically, AAS, depending on the type of compound administered, can delay or advance pubertal onset, lead to irregular oestrous cyclicity, diminish male and female sexual behaviours, and accelerate reproductive senescence. Numerous brains regions and neurotransmitter signalling systems are involved in the generation of these behaviours, and are potential targets for both chronic and acute actions of the AAS. However, critical to all of these behaviours is neurotransmission mediated by GABA(A) receptors within a nexus of interconnected forebrain regions that includes the medial preoptic area, the anteroventral periventricular nucleus and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. We review how exposure to AAS alters GABAergic transmission and neural activity within these forebrain regions, taking advantage of in vitro systems and both wild-type and genetically altered mouse strains, aiming to better understand how these synthetic steroids affect the neural systems that underlie the regulation of reproduction and the expression of sexual behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G. Oberlander
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Donna M. Porter
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Carlos A. A. Penatti
- Departamento de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nove de Julho - UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP 01504-000 Brasil
| | - Leslie P. Henderson
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
- To Whom Correspondence Should be Addressed:
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Oberlander JG, Penatti CAA, Porter DM, Henderson LP. The Buzz about anabolic androgenic steroids: electrophysiological effects in excitable tissues. Neuroendocrinology 2012; 96:141-51. [PMID: 22576754 PMCID: PMC3488447 DOI: 10.1159/000339123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) comprise a large and growing class of synthetic androgens used clinically to promote tissue-building in individuals suffering from genetic disorders, injuries, and diseases. Despite these beneficial therapeutic applications, the predominant use of AAS is illicit: these steroids are self-administered to promote athletic performance and body image. Hand in hand with the desired anabolic actions of the AAS are untoward effects on the brain and behavior. While the signaling routes by which the AAS impose both beneficial and harmful actions may be quite diverse, key endpoints are likely to include ligand-gated and voltage-dependent ion channels that govern the activity of electrically excitable tissues. Here, we review the known effects of AAS on molecular targets that play critical roles in controlling electrical activity, with a specific focus on the effects of AAS on neurotransmission mediated by GABA(A) receptors in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G. Oberlander
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Carlos A. A. Penatti
- Departamento de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nove de Julho - UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP 01504-000 Brasil
| | - Donna M. Porter
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Leslie P. Henderson
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
- To Whom Correspondence Should be Addressed:
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The short splice variant of the gamma 2 subunit acts as an external modulator of GABA(A) receptor function. J Neurosci 2010; 30:4895-903. [PMID: 20371809 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5039-09.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)Rs) regulate the majority of fast inhibition in the mammalian brain and are the target for multiple drug types, including sleep aids, anti-anxiety medication, anesthetics, alcohol, and neurosteroids. A variety of subunits, including the highly distributed gamma2, allow for pharmacologic and kinetic differences in particular brain regions. The two common splice variants gamma2S (short) and gamma2L (long) show different patterns of regional distribution both in adult brain and during the course of development, but show few notable differences when incorporated into pentameric receptors. However, results presented here show that the gamma2S variant can strongly affect both GABA(A)R pharmacology and kinetics by acting as an external modulator of fully formed receptors. Mutation of one serine residue can confer gamma2S-like properties to gamma2L subunits, and addition of a modified gamma2 N-terminal polypeptide to the cell surface recapitulates the pharmacological effect. Thus, rather than incorporation of a separate accessory protein as with voltage-gated channels, this is an example of an ion channel using a common subunit for dual purposes. The modified receptor properties conferred by accessory gamma2S have implications for understanding GABA(A)R pharmacology, receptor kinetics, stoichiometry, GABAergic signaling in the brain during development, and altered function in disease states such as epilepsy.
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12
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13
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Olsen RW, Sieghart W. International Union of Pharmacology. LXX. Subtypes of gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors: classification on the basis of subunit composition, pharmacology, and function. Update. Pharmacol Rev 2008; 60:243-60. [PMID: 18790874 DOI: 10.1124/pr.108.00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 788] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review we attempt to summarize experimental evidence on the existence of defined native GABA(A) receptor subtypes and to produce a list of receptors that actually seem to exist according to current knowledge. This will serve to update the most recent classification of GABA(A) receptors (Pharmacol Rev 50:291-313, 1998) approved by the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Pharmacology. GABA(A) receptors are chloride channels that mediate the major form of fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. They are members of the Cys-loop pentameric ligand-gated ion channel (LGIC) superfamily and share structural and functional homology with other members of that family. GABA(A) receptors are assembled from a family of 19 homologous subunit gene products and form numerous, mostly hetero-oligomeric, pentamers. Such receptor subtypes with properties that depend on subunit composition vary in topography and ontogeny, in cellular and subcellular localization, in their role in brain circuits and behaviors, in their mechanisms of regulation, and in their pharmacology. We propose several criteria, which can be applied to all the members of the LGIC superfamily, for including a receptor subtype on a list of native hetero-oligomeric subtypes. With these criteria, we develop a working GABA(A) receptor list, which currently includes 26 members, but will undoubtedly be modified and grow as information expands. The list is divided into three categories of native receptor subtypes: "identified," "existence with high probability," and "tentative."
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Olsen
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Room CHS 23-120, 650 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1735, USA.
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The promiscuous role of the epsilon subunit in GABAA receptor biogenesis. Mol Cell Neurosci 2008; 37:610-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2007.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2007] [Revised: 11/21/2007] [Accepted: 12/06/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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