title: Impaired expression of GABA transporters in the human Alzheimer's disease hippocampus, subiculum, entorhinal cortex and superior temporal gyrus.
abstract: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and plays an important role in regulating neuronal excitability. GABA reuptake from the synapse is dependent on specific transporters - mainly GAT-1, GAT-3 and BGT-1 (GATs). This study is the first to show alterations in the expression of the GATs in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and superior temporal gyrus. We found a significant increase in BGT-1 expression associated with AD in all layers of the dentate gyrus, in the stratum oriens of the CA2 and CA3 and the superior temporal gyrus. In AD there was a significant decrease in GAT-1 expression in the entorhinal cortex and superior temporal gyrus. We also found a significant decrease in GAT-3 immunoreactivity in the stratum pyramidale of the CA1 and CA3, the subiculum and entorhinal cortex. These observations indicate that the expression of the GATs shows brain-region- and layer-specific alterations in AD, suggesting a complex activation pattern of different GATs during the course of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Tessa E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Fuhrer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Thulani H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Palpagama
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Waldvogel
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Anatomical Pathology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Beth J L
authors.initials: BJL
authors.lastname: Synek
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Anatomical Pathology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Clinton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Faull
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: a.kwakowsky@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kwakowsky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D050485:GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050485:GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; GABA; GABA transporters; human brain