PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Julie G. Hensler
AU  - Tushar Advani
AU  - Teresa F. Burke
AU  - Kejun Cheng
AU  - Kenner C. Rice
AU  - Wouter Koek
TI  - GABA<sub>B</sub> Receptor-Positive Modulators: Brain Region-Dependent Effects
AID  - 10.1124/jpet.111.186577
DP  - 2012 Jan 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 19--26
VI  - 340
IP  - 1
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/340/1/19.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/340/1/19.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther2012 Jan 01; 340
AB  - This study examined the positive modulatory properties of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-propyl)-phenol (CGP7930) and (R,S)-5,7-di-tert-butyl-3-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethyl-3H-benzofuran-2-one (rac-BHFF) at γ-aminobutyric acid B (GABAB) receptors in different brain regions. Using quantitative autoradiography, we measured GABAB receptor-stimulated binding of guanosine 5′-O-(3-[35S]thiotriphosphate) ([35S]GTPγS) to G proteins in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, and cerebellum. CGP7930 and rac-BHFF enhanced baclofen-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding similarly in mPFC and hippocampus, but were more effective in cerebellum. CGP7930 (100 μM) increased [35S]GTPγS binding stimulated by baclofen (30 μM) from 29 to 241% above basal in mPFC and from 13 to 1530% above basal in cerebellum. Likewise, rac-BHFF (10 μM) increased baclofen-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding more in cerebellum (from 13 to 1778% above basal) than in mPFC (from 29 to 514% above basal). rac-BHFF (10 μM) in combination with γ-hydroxybutyrate (20 mM) increased [35S]GTPγS binding in cerebellum but not in mPFC. rac-BHFF also enhanced the effects of 3-aminopropyl(diethoxymethyl)phosphinic acid (CGP35348). Consistent with its partial agonist properties, CGP35348 stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding in mPFC when given alone (to 18% above basal), but less extensively than baclofen (140% above basal), and antagonized baclofen when given together. CGP35348 (1 mM) in combination with rac-BHFF (100 μM) produced an increase in [35S]GTPγS binding that was larger in cerebellum (from 61 to 1260% above basal) than in mPFC (from 18 to 118% above basal). Taken together, the results show that GABAB receptor-positive modulators enhance [35S]GTPγS binding stimulated by GABAB receptor agonists in a brain region-dependent manner. This regionally selective enhancement is further evidence of pharmacologically distinct GABAB receptor populations, possibly allowing for more selective therapeutic targeting of the GABAB system.