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The Journal of Neuroscience, July 15, 1998, 18(14):5103-5111
Contribution of Subsaturating GABA Concentrations to IPSCs in
Cultured Hippocampal Neurons
Matthew W.
Hill1,
P.
Amruta
Reddy2,
Douglas F.
Covey2, and
Steven M.
Rothman1, 3
1 Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and
2 Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University
School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, and
3 Department of Pediatric Neurology, St. Louis Children's
Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110
The time course of EPSCs and IPSCs is at least partly determined by
the concentration profile of neurotransmitter acting on postsynaptic
receptors. Several recent reports have suggested that the peak synaptic
cleft concentration of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA likely
reaches at least 500 µM, a level that saturates the GABAA receptor. In the course of investigating the
experimental anticonvulsant 3,3-diethyl-2-pyrrolidinone
(diethyl-lactam), we have observed an important contribution to IPSC
decay by subsaturating concentrations of GABA. Diethyl-lactam augments
currents elicited by the exogenous application of subsaturating
concentrations of GABA in voltage-clamped, cultured hippocampal neurons
and significantly prolongs the decay of autaptic IPSCs and miniature
IPSCs in our cultures. In addition, diethyl-lactam potentiates currents
in excised outside-out membrane patches elicited by the prolonged application of low concentrations of GABA. However, when patches are
exposed to 1-2 msec pulses of 1 mM GABA, diethyl-lactam
does not alter current decay. Tiagabine, which blocks GABA reuptake, does not prolong IPSCs, so it is unlikely that uptake inhibition accounts for the enhancement of IPSCs. EPSCs and miniature IPSC frequency are unaffected by diethyl-lactam, again consistent with a
postsynaptic site of action. We propose that during an IPSC, a
substantial number of postsynaptic receptors must be exposed to
subsaturating concentrations of GABA. A simplified model of GABAA receptor kinetics can account for the effects of
diethyl-lactam on exogenous GABA and IPSCs if diethyl-lactam has its
main effect on the monoliganded states of the GABAA
receptor.
Key words:
epilepsy; GABA; GABAA receptor; hippocampus; IPSC; outside-out patches; rapid application; synapse
Copyright © 1998 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/98/18145103-09$05.00/0
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