title: Experimental hepatic encephalopathy: changes in the binding of gamma-aminobutyric acid.
abstract: Two populations of receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid, one with low- and the other with high-affinity characteristics, are detectable in frozen, thawed, Triton-treated synaptic membrane preparations from normal brain. It is now reported that membrane preparations from rats with mild galactosamine-induced hepatic encephalopathy show an increase in the number of low- and high-affinity gamma-aminobutyric acid binding sites, whereas those from rats with severe encephalopathy show only high-affinity binding sites. Thus, hepatic encephalopathy appears to involve partial degeneration of the gamma-aminobutyric acid-containing presynaptic nerve terminals.
mesh_terms: D001640:Bicuculline / Q000378:metabolism; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005688:Galactosamine; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005688:Galactosamine; D001640:Bicuculline