Prolonged ethanol inhalation decreases gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptor alpha subunit mRNAs in the rat cerebral cortex.

Abstract:

:Ethanol administration to rats by ethanol vapor inhalation (14 days) results in a 40-50% reduction in the level of gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor alpha 1 subunit mRNAs [4.4 and 4.8 kilobases (kb)] in the cerebral cortex. The level of alpha 2 subunit mRNA (8.0 kb) was also reduced by 29%, whereas there was no effect of prolonged ethanol exposure on the level of alpha 3 subunit mRNA (3.1 kb). Ethanol exposure did not alter the steady state levels of cerebral cortical glutamic acid decarboxylase or beta-actin mRNAs. Moreover, no alterations in the levels of total RNA, poly(A)+ RNA, or rRNA were observed, suggesting that the ethanol-induced reductions in GABAA receptor alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunit mRNAs were not the result of a generalized effect of ethanol administration on transcription or mRNA turnover. These ethanol-induced reductions in GABAA receptor alpha subunit mRNAs may underlie alterations in GABAA receptor function or number observed following prolonged ethanol exposure in rats.

journal_name

Mol Pharmacol

journal_title

Molecular pharmacology

authors

Montpied P,Morrow AL,Karanian JW,Ginns EI,Martin BM,Paul SM

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

1991-02-01 00:00:00

pages

157-63

issue

2

eissn

0026-895X

issn

1521-0111

journal_volume

39

pub_type

杂志文章