Analysis of subcomponents of the gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptor macromolecular complex in mammalian central nervous system

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6101276

McCabe, R T

Since the presence of endogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) may affect benzodiazepine binding to tissue sections in autoradiographic studies, a protocol designed to check for this influence has been investigated. (/sup 3/H)Flunitrazepam (1 nM) was used to label benzodiazepine receptors for autoradiographic localization. Bicuculline was added to the incubation medium of an additional set of tissue sections to antagonize any potential effect of endogenous GABA. Binding in these sections was compared to that occurring in another set in which excess GABA was added to create further GABA enhancement. Binding was also compared to adjacent sections which were treated similarly but also preincubated in distilled-deionized water to burst the cells by osmotic shock and eliminate endogenous GABA, thereby preventing any effect on benzodiazepine binding. The results indicated that endogenous GABA is indeed present in the slide-mounted tissue sections and is affecting benzodiazepine receptor binding differentially in various regions of the brain depending on the density of GABAergic innervation. Scatchard analysis of saturation data demonstrated that the alteration in BZ binding due to GABA was a result of a change in the affinity rather than number of receptors present.

• Research Organization: Utah Univ., Salt Lake City (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6101276
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMINOBUTYRIC ACID
RECEPTORS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
TRANQUILIZERS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
COMPLEXES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
AMINO ACIDS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
DRUGS
KINETICS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
REACTION KINETICS
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques