title: Changes in GABA(A) receptor gene expression induced by withdrawal of, but not by long-term exposure to, zaleplon or zolpidem.
abstract: The effects of long-term treatment with and subsequent withdrawal of the two hypnotic drugs zaleplon and zolpidem on the abundance of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor subunit mRNAs in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells were investigated. Incubation of neurons with either drug at a concentration of 10 microM for 5 days did not significantly affect the amounts of mRNAs encoding the alpha(1), alpha(4), beta(1), beta(2), beta(3), gamma(2)L, or gamma(2)S subunits. As expected, similar treatment with the nonselective benzodiazepine diazepam resulted in a decrease in the abundance of alpha(1), beta(2), gamma(2)L, and gamma(2)S subunit mRNAs as well as an increase in that of the beta(1) subunit mRNA. Withdrawal of zaleplon or zolpidem, like that of diazepam, induced a marked increase in the amount of the alpha(4) subunit mRNA. In addition, discontinuation of treatment with either hypnotic drug resulted in a decrease in the amounts of alpha(1), beta(2), gamma(2)L, and gamma(2)S subunit mRNAs as well as an increase in that of the beta(1) subunit mRNA. These effects of zaleplon and zolpidem on GABA(A) receptor gene expression are consistent with the reduced tolerance liability of these drugs, compared with that of diazepam, as well as with their ability to induce both physical dependence and withdrawal syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09100, Italy. follesa@unica.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Follesa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biggio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cagetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trapani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biggio
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023282:Nuclease Protection Assays; D011725:Pyridines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015347:RNA Probes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077334:Zolpidem
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D018757:GABA Modulators; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000077334:Zolpidem; D003975:Diazepam; C085665:zaleplon