title: Allosteric modulation in spontaneously active mutant gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors [corrected].
abstract: Tryptophan substitutions were made in the second transmembrane domain of the gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) (GABA(A)) receptor alpha and beta subunits and the resulting mutant receptors, containing alpha(2)(S270W) and/or beta(1)(S265W), were expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Mutation of either or both subunits resulted in receptors that exhibited enhanced sensitivity to agonist and were spontaneously active in the absence of GABA. The spontaneous activity was blocked by picrotoxin or bicuculline. The enhancement of GABA-induced currents by pentobarbital, by the neurosteroid 5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one, and by the benzodiazepine flunitrazepam was dramatically reduced in the mutant receptors. These results are consistent with the idea that a mutation that promotes gating behavior in a ligand-gated ion channel will also show reduced effects of all positive allosteric modulators in a generalized manner, even when these modulators act at distinct sites on the receptor.
authors.affiliation: Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin (A4800), 2500 Speedway MBB1.124, Austin, TX 78712-1095, USA.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Findlay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000494:Allosteric Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001640:Bicuculline; D005445:Flunitrazepam; D018755:GABA Agonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D018757:GABA Modulators; D010424:Pentobarbital; D010852:Picrotoxin; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013256:Steroids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid