title: AMPA/kainate receptor-mediated up-regulation of GABAA receptor delta subunit mRNA expression in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells is dependent on NMDA receptor activation.
abstract: We have studied the effects of AMPA/kainate receptor agonists on GABA(A) receptor subunit mRNA expression in vitro in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells (CGCs). Kainate (KA) (100 microM) and high K(+) (25 mM) dramatically up-regulated delta subunit mRNA expression to 500-700% of that in control cells grown in low K(+) (5 mM). KA or high K(+) had no effect on the expression of the other major GABA(A) receptor subunits alpha1, alpha6, beta2, beta3 or gamma2. Up-regulation of delta mRNA was also detected with the AMPA receptor-selective agonist CPW-399 and to a lesser extent with the KA receptor-selective agonist ATPA. AMPA/kainate receptor-selective antagonist DNQX completely inhibited KA-, CPW-399- and ATPA-induced delta mRNA up-regulation indicating that the effects were mediated via AMPA and KA receptor activation. NMDA receptor-selective antagonist MK-801 inhibited 76% of the KA- and 57% of the CPW-399-induced delta up-regulation suggesting that KA and CPW-399 treatments may induce glutamate release resulting in NMDA receptor activation, and subsequently to delta mRNA up-regulation. In CGCs, delta subunit is a component of extrasynaptic alpha6betadelta receptors that mediate tonic inhibition. Up-regulation of delta during prolonged glutamate receptor activation or cell membrane depolarization may be a mechanism to increase tonic inhibition to counteract excessive excitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Drug Design and Therapeutics, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Virpi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Sampsa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kallinen
authors.forename: Francisco R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Lopez-Picon
authors.forename: Esa R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Korpi
authors.forename: Irma E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Holopainen
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusi-Oukari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D011188:Potassium