Abstract

The effects of protein kinase C (PKC) activators on gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor function were studied by two-electrode voltage-clamp in Xenopus oocytes expressing brain mRNA or subunit cDNAs and in isolated mouse brain cerebellar membrane vesicles (microsacs), using 36Cl- uptake. Both oocytes and microsacs showed transient (desensitizing) and sustained (nondesensitizing) GABAA receptor responses. In oocytes expressing brain mRNA, the PKC activator phorbol myristoyl acetate (PMA), but not the inactive analog phorbol 12-monomyristate, inhibited both transient and sustained GABA-gated chloride currents. The inhibition by PMA was concentration dependent, with an EC50 of approximately 5 nM, and resulted in a decrease in the efficacy, but not the potency, of GABA. Additionally, PMA inhibited GABA-gated chloride currents in oocytes expressing alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 2L subunit cDNAs. The effect of PMA on recombinant receptors was significantly antagonized by PKC inhibitory peptide (PKCI). In the microsac preparation, the PKC activators (-)-7-octylindolactam V and PMA inhibited the sustained phase of 36Cl- flux without altering the transient phase. The action of PMA was blocked by kinase inhibitors and by depletion of Mg-ATP and was mimicked by protein phosphatase inhibitors. These results demonstrate that activation of PKC inhibits GABAA receptor function, and the results from the microsac experiments suggest that PKC-dependent phosphorylation preferentially inactivates a nondesensitized form or state of the receptor.