title: Effect of GABA on melatonin content in golden hamster retina.
abstract: The effect of GABA on melatonin content in vitro was studied in the golden hamster retina. GABA significantly increased melatonin levels in a dose-dependent manner, its effect being reversed by a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, bicuculline, but not by saclofen, a GABA(B) antagonist. Moreover, an equimolar concentration of muscimol, a GABA(A) receptor agonist, significantly increased retinal melatonin content, whereas baclofen, a GABA(B) receptor agonist, was ineffective. The darkness-induced increase in melatonin content in vitro was inhibited by bicuculline, whereas saclofen was ineffective. Retinal GABA turnover rate was significantly higher at midnight than at midday. GABA significantly decreased cyclic AMP and increased cyclic GMP accumulation in the golden hamster retina. The effect of GABA on both nucleotide levels was reversed by bicuculline, but baclofen had no effect. Cyclic GMP analogues (i.e., 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and 2'-O-dibutyrylguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate) significantly increased retinal melatonin content in vitro. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that GABA may be important for the "dark message" in the hamster retina.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Jaliffa
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Faillace
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Lacoste
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Llomovatte
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Keller Sarmiento
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rosenstein
mesh_terms: D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D006224:Cricetinae; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003624:Darkness; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008647:Mesocricetus; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018756:GABA Antagonists; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D008550:Melatonin; D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; D001640:Bicuculline