Characterization of recombinant GABAA receptors produced in transfected cells from murine α1, β1, and γ2 subunit cDNAs

Stephen J. Moss, Arippa Ravindran, Lin Mei, Jia Bei Wang, Paulo Kofuji, Richard L. Huganir, David R. Burt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

In order to explore the structural basis of GABAA receptor function, we have expressed murine α1, β1, and γ2 subunit cDNAs by transient transfection of human 293 cells. Expression of GABAA receptors was measured by ligand binding assay and by electrophysiological analysis. As in other species, expression of the α1 and β1 subunits produced a receptor that was insensitive to modulation by benzodiazepines as measured by electrophysiological analysis; however, a small number of flunitrazepam binding sites were detectable. The coexpression of the γ2 subunit was found to be essential for this modulation, and also resulted in a dramatic (14-fold) increase in the number of binding sites for flunitrazepam. On the coexpression of all 3 subunit cDNAs, a receptor was produced that exhibited a similar number of binding sites for flunitrazepam and muscimol.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)265-268
Number of pages4
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume123
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 25 1991
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • GABA/benzodiazepine receptor
  • Mouse brain
  • Transfected cell
  • cDNA clone

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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