title: Allopregnanolone enhancement of GABAergic transmission in rat medial preoptic area neurons.
abstract: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated transmission in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus plays an important role in functions such as sex steroid hormone dynamics and control of body temperature. The action of allopregnanolone, the primary metabolite of progesterone, on GABAergic transmission was investigated by employing patch clamp whole cell recording on acutely dissociated rat MPOA neurons with the functional connection of presynaptic terminals. Allopregnanolone enhanced spontaneous GABA release on the MPOA neurons and induced prolonged decay of miniature GABAergic-inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). The facilitation of GABA release from the presynaptic terminals by allopregnanolone disappeared in Ca2+-free extracellular solution. The presynaptic action of this neurosteroid was also blocked by bumetanide, a blocker of cation-Cl- cotransporters, and by removal of extracellular Na+. The results suggest that allopregnanolone enhances GABAergic transmission at the MPOA neurons by pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms. The enhancement of GABA release by allopregnanolone might require a high Cl- concentration in the presynaptic terminal maintained by Na+-dependent, bumetanide-sensitive mechanisms (e.g., Na+-K+-Cl- cotransporter) and might be mediated by Ca2+ influx into presynaptic terminal.
authors.affiliation: Cellular and System Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812 - 8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Soko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Eiichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kakazu
authors.forename: Yoshihito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akaike
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nabekura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002034:Bumetanide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D049994:Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D028021:Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D049994:Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D028021:Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters; D002034:Bumetanide; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D012964:Sodium; D011280:Pregnanolone; D002118:Calcium