title: Downregulation of GABAA receptor protein subunits α6, β2, δ, ε, γ2, θ, and ρ2 in superior frontal cortex of subjects with autism.
abstract: We measured protein and mRNA levels for nine gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor subunits in three brain regions (cerebellum, superior frontal cortex, and parietal cortex) in subjects with autism versus matched controls. We observed changes in mRNA for a number of GABAA and GABAB subunits and overall reduced protein expression for GABAA receptor alpha 6 (GABRα6), GABAA receptor beta 2 (GABRβ2), GABAA receptor delta (GABRδ), GABAA receptor epsilon (GABRε), GABAA receptor gamma 2 (GABRγ2), GABAA receptor theta (GABRθ), and GABAA receptor rho 2 (GABRρ2) in superior frontal cortex from subjects with autism. Our data demonstrate systematic changes in GABAA&B subunit expression in brains of subjects with autism, which may help explain the presence of cognitive abnormalities in subjects with autism.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St SE, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA, fatem002@umn.edu.
authors.forename: S Hossein
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Fatemi
authors.forename: Teri J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Reutiman
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Folsom
authors.forename: Oyvind G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Rustan
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thuras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid