ATP effect on spontaneous GABAergic activity in the hippocampus of neonatal rats.

Abstract

In adult animals, extracellular ATP and its derivatives, such as ADP and adenosine, are efficient modulators of synaptic transmission [1, 2, 7]. As shown in the hippocampus of adult animals, ATP and adenosine modulate synaptic activity via specific P2X receptors, which are sensitive to the nonselective antagonist PPADS, as well as via inhibitory A1 purine receptors [5, 6]. However, the question remains open with regard to neonatal animals, because of the specific glutamateand GABA-ergic synaptic transmission in their hippocampi [4]. Since P2X2, P2X4, and P2X6 purine receptors have been detected by immunohistochemical methods in the neonatal hippocampus [8], we studied the ATP effect on the synaptic activity of pyramidal cells in the CA3 region of the neonatal hippocampus. ATP Effect on Spontaneous GABAergic Activity in the Hippocampus of Neonatal Rats