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Molecular Pharmacology

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Research ArticleArticle

Differential Subunit Dependence of the Actions of the General Anesthetics Alphaxalone and Etomidate at γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptors Expressed in Xenopus laevis Oocytes

Enrico Sanna, Antonella Murgia, Anna Casula and Giovanni Biggio
Molecular Pharmacology March 1997, 51 (3) 484-490;
Enrico Sanna
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Antonella Murgia
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Anna Casula
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Giovanni Biggio
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Abstract

The effects of subunit composition of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor on the multiple actions of the general anesthetics alphaxalone and etomidate were investigated. The abilities of the two drugs to activate directly Cl− currents and to modulate GABA-evoked Cl− currents mediated by human recombinant GABAA receptors composed of α1, γ2S, and either β1, β2, or β3 subunit expressed in Xenopus laevisoocytes were compared. Both alphaxalone and etomidate evoked Cl− currents in α1β1γ2S, α1β2γ2S, and α1β3γ2S receptors, an action that was blocked by both SR 95531 and picrotoxin. However, although maximal current activation by alphaxalone varied only slightly with the specific β subunit isoform present, the efficacy of etomidate showed a rank order of β3 > β2 ≫> β1. In addition, β1 homomeric receptors were markedly activated by etomidate but not by alphaxalone. Conversely, receptors consisting of α1 and γ2S subunits were markedly activated by alphaxalone but not by etomidate. The modulatory effect of alphaxalone was also not markedly influenced by the β-specific subunit isoform, whereas the modulatory efficacy of etomidate showed a rank order of β3 > β2 ≫ β1. These results further demonstrate that the actions of general anesthetics at GABAA receptors are influenced by receptor subunit composition, and they suggest that the effects of alphaxalone and etomidate are mediated by different binding sites on the receptor complex.

Footnotes

  • Send reprint requests to: Dr. Enrico Sanna, Department of Experimental Biology, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Via Palabanda 12, 09123 Cagliari, Italy. E-mail:esanna{at}vaxca1.unica.it

  • Abbreviations:
    GABA
    γ-aminobutyric acid
    GABAA
    γ-aminobutyric acid type A
    HEPES
    4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid
    • Received September 9, 1996.
    • Accepted November 14, 1996.
  • The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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Molecular Pharmacology
Vol. 51, Issue 3
1 Mar 1997
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Research ArticleArticle

Differential Subunit Dependence of the Actions of the General Anesthetics Alphaxalone and Etomidate at γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptors Expressed in Xenopus laevis Oocytes

Enrico Sanna, Antonella Murgia, Anna Casula and Giovanni Biggio
Molecular Pharmacology March 1, 1997, 51 (3) 484-490;

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Research ArticleArticle

Differential Subunit Dependence of the Actions of the General Anesthetics Alphaxalone and Etomidate at γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptors Expressed in Xenopus laevis Oocytes

Enrico Sanna, Antonella Murgia, Anna Casula and Giovanni Biggio
Molecular Pharmacology March 1, 1997, 51 (3) 484-490;
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