Journal article
Effects of GABAA Receptor α3 Subunit Epilepsy Mutations on Inhibitory Synaptic Signaling
Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, Vol.13, pp.1-12
2020
PMCID: PMC7714833
PMID: 33328885
Abstract
Missense mutations T166M, Q242L, T336M, and Y474C in the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) α3 subunit gene are associated with epileptic seizures, dysmorphic features, intellectual disability, and developmental delay. When incorporated into GABAARs expressed in oocytes, all mutations are known to reduce GABA-evoked whole-cell currents. However, their impact on the properties of inhibitory synaptic currents (IPSCs) is unknown, largely because it is difficult to establish, much less control, the stoichiometry of GABAAR expressed in native neuronal synapses. To circumvent this problem, we employed a HEK293 cell-neuron co-culture expression system that permits the recording of IPSCs mediated by a pure population of GABAARs with a defined stoichiometry. We first demonstrated that IPSCs mediated by α3-containing GABAARs (α3β3γ2) decay significantly slower than those mediated by α1-containing isoforms (α1β2γ2 or α1β3γ2). GABAAR α3 mutations did not affect IPSC peak amplitudes or 10–90% rise times, but three of the mutations affected IPSC decay. T336M significantly accelerated the IPSC decay rate whereas T166M and Y474C had the opposite effect. The acceleration of IPSC decay kinetics caused by the T366M mutation was returned to wild-type-like values by the anti-epileptic medication, midazolam. Quantification experiments in HEK293 cells revealed a significant reduction in cell-surface expression for all mutants, in agreement with previous oocyte data. Taken together, our results show that impaired surface expression and altered IPSC decay rates could both be significant factors underlying the pathologies associated with these mutations.
Details
- Title
- Effects of GABAA Receptor α3 Subunit Epilepsy Mutations on Inhibitory Synaptic Signaling
- Authors
- Parnayan Syed (Author) - The University of QueenslandNela Durisic (Author) - The University of QueenslandRobert J. Harvey (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Sport Sciences - LegacyPankaj Sah (Author) - The University of QueenslandPankaj Sah (Author) - The University of QueenslandJoseph W. Lynch (Author) - The University of Queensland
- Publication details
- Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, Vol.13, pp.1-12
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.3389/fnmol.2020.602559
- ISSN
- 1662-5099
- PMID
- 33328885; PMC7714833
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2020 Syed, Durisic, Harvey, Sah and Lynch. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; Centre for Bioinnovation; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99494208802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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