Identification and immunohistochemical mapping of GABAA receptor subtypes containing the δ‐subunit in rat brain

FEBS Letters

Benke, D.²  Gillessen, D.¹  Mertens, S.²  Trzeciak, A.¹  Mohler, H.² 

[1] Pharma Research Department, F. Hoffman-La Roche, CH-4002 Basle, Switzerland;Institute of Pharmacology, University of Zürich, CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland

关键词: GABAA receptor;    δ-Subunit;    Antipeptide antisera;    Western blotting;    Immunoprecipitation;    Immunohistochemistry;   

DOI  :  10.1016/0014-5793(91)80573-L

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

Synaptic inhibition in brain is mainly mediated via GABA_A receptors which display a striking structural heterogeneity. A novel type of GABA_A receptor subunit, the δ-subunit, has recently been described based on molecular cloning of its cDNA [1]. To identify the prevalence and distrubution of GABA_A receptors which contain the δ-subunit protein in situ, polyclonal site-directed antisera were developed against three synthetic peptides derived form the rat δ-subunit cDNA-sequence. All antisera specifically recognized a 54 kDa protein in GABA_A receptor preparation. Nearly 30% of the GABA_A receptors contained the δ-subunit immunoreactivity and displayed high affinity GABA and high affinity benzodiazepine binding sites as shown by immunoprecipitation. Receptors which contain the δ-subunit were immunohistochemically shown to be restricted to a few brain areas such as the cerebellum, thalamus and dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation. Thus, those neurons which express GABA_A receptors with a δ-subunit have now been visualized and made accessible for a functional analysis of this GABA_A receptors subtype in situ.

【 授权许可】

Unknown