In vivo release of endogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid from rat striatum: effects of muscimol, oxotremorine, and morphine.

Abstract

Abstract: A push‐pull cannula technique was used to study the in vivo release of endogenous GABA from the striaturn of chloral hydrate anaesthesized rats. The GABA in the perfusate was isolated with hplc and fluorimetrically detected (detection limit 0.6 pmol, signalhoke = 3). The mean resting release of GABA under steady state conditions was 1.62 ± 0.09 pmo/min (n = 180, ± s.E.M.). GABA release was increased after addition of depolarizing amounts of potassium to the perfusion medium. Inhibition of GABA synthesis with 3‐mercaptopropionic acid (MPA, 0.5 mM) or blockade of the neuronal activity with tetrodotoxin (TTX, 0.2 μM) diminished the spontaneous release of GABA. MPA, but not TTX, reduced the potassium‐induced increase in GABA release. Striatal GABA release was decreased by local application of muscimol (l0 μM) but enhanced by picrotoxin (100 μM); the latter counteracted the effect of muscimol. Intrastriatally applied serotonin (100 μM) did not affect the rate of endogenous GABA release. Oxotremorine (25 μM) added to the perfusion medium slightly increased the striatal GABA release. This effect was blocked both by locally applied atropine (100 μM) and haloperidol (5 μM). The latter two drugs did not themselves affect the rate of GABA release. Perfusion with morphine (100 μM) inhibited striatal GABA release. This effect was not influenced by haloperidol, but was no longer observed in the presence of nalorphine (10 μM) which itself did not alter GABA release. These results indicate that GABA released from the striatum is, at least in part, of neuronal origin and that the spontaneous GABA release can be affected by various neuromodulators (including GABA, enkephalins, and acetylcholine).