Research article summary (published 29 Apr 1989):

General anesthetics modulate GABA receptor channel complex in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.

Full Abstract

The effects of halothane, isoflurane, and enflurane on ionic currents induced by bath application of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) were studied with the rat dorsal root ganglion neurons maintained in primary culture. The whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to record the current. In normal neurons before exposure to anesthetics, GABA at low concentrations (1-3 x 10(-6) M) induced a small sustained inward current. At higher concentrations (3 x 10(-5) M-1 x 10(-3) M), GABA induced a large inward current, which decayed to a steady-state level (desensitization). Halothane (0.86 mM), isoflurane (0.96 mM), and enflurane (1.89 mM), each equivalent to the respective 2 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) units, augmented the sustained current evoked by 3 x 10(-6) M GABA to 330-350% of control and the peak current evoked by 3 x 10(-5) M of GABA to 136-145% of control. The decay phase of the current was accelerated by the anesthetics, the time for the current to decline to 70% of the peak being reduced to 23-39% of control. In contrast, the densitized steady-state current evoked by high concentrations of GABA was decreased by anesthetics. In conclusion, general anesthetics exert a dual effect on the GABA receptor channel complex: to potentiate the nondesensitized (both peak and sustained) current and to suppress the desensitized steady-state current. The potentiation of the GABA receptor channel response may be a primary action of anesthetics leading to surgical anesthesia.

Author information

Author/s: Nakahiro, M (M); Yeh, J Z (JZ); Brunner, E (E); Narahashi, T (T);

Affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611.

Grants: NS14144 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: The FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB J), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1989-May; vol 3 (issue 7) : pp 1850-4

Dates: Created 1989/06/15; Completed 1989/06/15; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 2541038, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 2/18/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MeSH Headings (categories) shown below.

Anesthetics - pharmacology Animals Cells, Cultured Chloride Channels Chlorides - metabolism Electric Conductivity Enflurane - pharmacology Ganglia, Spinal - cytology; metabolism

Ganglia, Spinal - cytology; metabolism Halothane - pharmacology Isoflurane - pharmacology Membrane Proteins - metabolism Neurons - metabolism; physiology Rats Receptors, GABA-A - metabolism gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - pharmacology

Note: Bold headings indicate primary MeSH headings or qualifiers.

Associated Chemicals: Anesthetics (0) ; Chloride Channels (0) ; Chlorides (0) ; Membrane Proteins (0) ; Receptors, GABA-A (0) ; Enflurane (13838-16-9) ; Halothane (151-67-7) ; Isoflurane (26675-46-7) ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (56-12-2)

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