RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Ethanol-GABAA Receptor Interactions: A Comparison between Cell Lines and Cerebellar Purkinje Cells JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 768 OP 776 VO 284 IS 2 A1 Sapp, Douglas W. A1 Yeh, Hermes H. YR 1998 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/284/2/768.abstract AB This study compared the interaction between ethanol and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated current responses elicited in several immortalized cell lines and stably transfected cells, as well as in cultured and acutely dissociated rat cerebellar Purkinje cells. Only cell lines that were found previously to possess functional GABAA receptors were examined in this study. Under identical recording conditions, ethanol (10–200 mM) exerted no effect on GABA-induced currents in any of the cell lines or stably transfected cells tested in this study. However, GABA responses monitored in both primary culture and acutely dissociated Purkinje cells were significantly potentiated by ethanol (25 and 50 mM). Mouse pancreatic cells (RINm5F) were insensitive to both diazepam and ethanol suggesting the expression of a GABAA receptor isoform lacking a γ subunit. Immortalized neuroblastoma IMR-32 cells displayed GABA responses that could be distinguished based on differential sensitivity to diazepam. However, none of the IMR-32 cells displayed GABA responses that were sensitive to modulation by ethanol. GABA responses in the stably transfected cell lines, PA3 (α1β1γ2L) and WSS-1 (α1β2γ2), were also unaffected by exposure to ethanol. In Purkinje cells acutely dissociated from the neonatal cerebellum, the ethanol-induced potentiation of GABA-induced current response could be observed before postnatal day 7, when only the γ2S but not the γ2L splice variant is expressed. This indicates that the γ2L subunit is not necessary for an ethanol-induced potentiation of GABAA receptor-mediated response to become manifest. In addition, the results point to inherent differences that should be taken into account in interpreting comparative data between native and recombinant GABAAreceptors. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics