Agonist function of the recombinant α4β3δ GABAA receptor is dependent on the human and rat variants of the α4‐subunit

Abstract

Summary1. It is known that the α4‐subunit is likely to occur in the brain predominantly in α4β3δ receptors at extrasynaptic sites. Recent studies have revealed that the α1‐, α4‐, γ2‐ and δ‐subunits may colocalize extrasynaptically in dentate granule cells of the hippocampus. In the present study, we characterized a series of recombinant GABAA receptors containing human (H) and rat (R) α1/α4‐, β2/β3‐ and γ2S/δ‐subunits in Xenopus oocytes using the two‐electrode voltage‐clamp technique.2. Both Hα1β3δ and Hα4β3γ2S receptors were sensitive to activation by GABA and pentobarbital. Contrary to earlier findings that the α4β3δ combination was more sensitive to agonist action than the α4β3γ2S receptor, we observed extremely small GABA‐ and pentobarbital‐activated currents at the wild‐type Hα4β3δ receptor. However, GABA and pentobarbital activated the wild‐type Rα4β3δ receptor with high potency (EC50 = 0.5 ± 0.7 and 294 ± 5 μmol/L, respectively).3. Substituting the Hα4 subunit with Rα4 conferred a significant increase in activation on the GABA and pentobarbital site in terms of reduced EC50 and increased Imax. When the Hα4 subunit was combined with the Rβ3 and Rδ subunit in a heteropentameric form, the amplitude of GABA‐ and pentobarbital‐activated currents increased significantly compared with the wild‐type Hα4β3δ receptor.4. Thus, the results indicate that the Rα4β3δ, Hα1β3δ and Hα4β3γ2S combinations may contribute to functions of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors. The presence of the Rα4 subunit at recombinant GABAA receptors containing the δ‐subunit is a strong determinant of agonist action. The recombinant Hα4β3δ receptor is a less sensitive subunit composition in terms of agonist activation.