GABAa receptor α‐subunit proteins in human chronic alcoholics

Abstract

Antibodies were raised against specific peptides from N‐terminal regions of the α1 and α3 isoforms of the GABAA receptor, and used to assess the relative expression of these proteins in the superior frontal and primary motor cortices of 10 control, nine uncomplicated alcoholic and six cirrhotic alcoholic cases were matched for age and post‐mortem delay. The regression of expression on post‐mortem delay was not statistically significant for either isoform in either region. In both cortical areas, the regression of α1 expression on age differed significantly between alcoholic cases, which showed a decrease, and normal controls, which did not. Age had no effect on α3 expression. The α1 and α3 isoforms were found to be expressed differentially across cortical regions and showed a tendency to be expressed differentially across case groups. In cirrhotic alcoholics, α1 expression was greater in superior frontal than in motor cortex, whereas this regional difference was not significant in controls or uncomplicated alcoholics. In uncomplicated alcoholics, α3 expression was significantly lower in superior frontal than in motor cortex. Expression of α1 was significantly different from that of α3 in the superior frontal cortex of alcoholics, but not in controls. In motor cortex, there were no significant differences in expression between the isoforms in any case group.