title: Reversal of the activity-dependent suppression of GABA-mediated inhibition in hippocampal slices from gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin)-pretreated rats.
abstract: The antiepileptic drug, gamma-vinyl GABA (GVG, vigabatrin), is an irreversible inhibitor of GABA-transaminase, the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of GABA. In hippocampal slices prepared from rats pretreated with either an anticonvulsant dose of GVG (1500 mg/kg) or saline, electrophysiological recordings were performed in order to examine the effects of GVG pretreatment on GABAergic neurotransmission. Although GVG had no effect on the effectiveness of GABA-mediated inhibition when elicited by a single stimulus, it reversed the activity-dependent depression of inhibition which is typically observed when inhibitory pathways are activated repetitively by a train of stimuli delivered at low frequency. Similarly, GVG pretreatment prevented the progressive decline in the amplitude of monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) during low-frequency stimulation of inhibitory interneurons. Thus, in slices from GVG pretreated rats, the amplitudes of both the fast and slow components of the last of a series of IPSPs evoked by a 5 Hz, 4 s train were maintained at 91.5 +/- 6.6% and 87.7 +/- 6.5%, respectively, compared to 61.1 +/- 3.9% and 57.1 +/- 5.0% in control slices. Finally, in slices from GVG pretreated rats, we observed a reduction in the ability of the GABA(B) receptor agonist, baclofen, to decrease the amplitude of monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic currents. These results suggest that GVG may produce its frequency-dependent actions by reducing the function of release regulating presynaptic GABA(B) autoreceptors. The frequency-dependent reinforcement of inhibition by GVG may importantly contribute to the anticonvulsant effectiveness of this compound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Que., Canada.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esplin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capek
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020888:Vigabatrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010879:Piperazines; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; C050592:3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid; D020888:Vigabatrin