GABA alters GABAA receptor mRNAs and increases ligand binding

• Published in: Journal of neurochemistry Vol. 61; no. 6; p. 2334
• Main Authors: Kim, H Y, Sapp, D W, Olsen, R W, Tobin, A J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-12-1993
• Subjects: Animals; Anticonvulsants - pharmacology; Base Sequence; Bicuculline - pharmacology; Cells, Cultured; Cerebellum - metabolism; DNA Primers; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - pharmacology; Gene Expression - drug effects; Isoxazoles - pharmacology; Macromolecular Substances; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscimol - metabolism; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - metabolism; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rats; Receptors, GABA-A - biosynthesis; Receptors, GABA-A - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; RNA, Messenger - drug effects; RNA, Messenger - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-3042
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1993.tb07481.x

In addition to its role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) influences the cytodifferentiation of developing neurons both in culture and in vivo. Here, we report some of the targets of GABA action and the mechanism through which GABA acts. In primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells, GABA specifically stimulates an increase in the levels of mRNAs for alpha 1 and beta 2 GABAA receptor subunits. The GABAA agonist 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol (THIP) mimics this effect, and the GABAA antagonist bicuculline prevents it. In addition, GABA and THIP trigger an increase in the number of GABA binding sites. This increase parallels that seen in vivo, where the total number of GABAA receptor sites increases during postnatal cerebellar development. It is interesting that the period of the greatest increase in the number of receptor sites coincides with the development of the granule cells. Taken together, our data suggest that GABA may play an important role during maturation of cerebellar granule cells by influencing the number and composition of its own receptors.