title: Gabapentin inhibits presynaptic Ca(2+) influx and synaptic transmission in rat hippocampus and neocortex.
abstract: Gabapentin is a widely used drug with anticonvulsant, antinociceptive and anxiolytic properties. Although it has been previously shown that Gabapentin binds with high affinity to the alpha(2)delta subunit of voltage-operated Ca(2+) channels (VOCC), little is known about the functional consequences of this interaction. Here, we investigated the effect of Gabapentin on VOCCs and synaptic transmission in rat hippocampus and neocortex using whole-cell patch clamp and confocal imaging techniques. Gabapentin (100-300 microM) did not affect the peak amplitude or voltage-dependency of VOCC currents recorded from either dissociated or in situ neocortical and hippocampal pyramidal cells. In contrast, Gabapentin inhibited K(+)-evoked increases in [Ca(2+)] in a subset of synaptosomes isolated from rat hippocampus and neocortex in a dose-dependent manner, with an apparent half-maximal inhibitory effect at approximately 100 nM. In hippocampal slices, Gabapentin (300 microM) inhibited the amplitude of evoked excitatory- and inhibitory postsynaptic currents recorded from CA1 pyramidal cells by 30-40%. Taken together, the results suggest that Gabapentin selectively inhibits Ca(2+) influx by inhibiting VOCCs in a subset of excitatory and inhibitory presynaptic terminals, thereby attenuating synaptic transmission.
authors.affiliation: Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Neurobiology Section, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94084, NL-1090 GB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. hooft@science.uva.nl
authors.forename: Johannes A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Hooft
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Duco
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Endeman
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Wytse J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wadman
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000588:Amines; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004594:Electrophysiology; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D019579:Neocortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D002118:Calcium