Title |
Attaining in vivo selectivity of positive modulation of α3βγ2 GABAA receptors in rats: A hard task!
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Published in |
European Neuropsychopharmacology, June 2018
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DOI | 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.05.014 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Bojan Batinić, Tamara Stanković, Michael Rajesh Stephen, Revathi Kodali, Veera V. Tiruveedhula, Guanguan Li, Petra Scholze, Bojan D. Marković, Aleksandar Lj. Obradović, Margot Ernst, James M. Cook, Miroslav M. Savić |
Abstract |
It is unclear whether GABAA receptors (GABAARs) that contain the α3-subunit are substantially involved in the anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines (BDZs). In the present study, we tested YT-III-31, a newer BDZ ligand with functional preference for α3βγ2 GABAARs, in two paradigms of unconditioned anxiety, the open field and elevated plus maze in rats. The effective dose of YT-III-31 (2 mg/kg) displayed a clear anxiolytic-like profile, unhampered by sedative action, in both tests. At a higher dose (10 mg/kg), YT-III-31 induced ataxia in the rotarod and sedation in spontaneous locomotor activity test. The latter effect was preventable by flumazenil and βCCt, the non-selective and α1βγ2 GABAAR affinity-selective antagonist, respectively, demonstrating that sedative properties of YT-III-31, when attained, are mediated by the α1γ2 site. To elucidate the receptor substrate of subtle behavioral differences between YT-III-31 and diazepam, we approximated in vivo receptor potentiation for both ligands, based on estimated unbound concentrations in rat brains. Far different from diazepam, YT-III-31 has significantly lower affinity for the α1γ2 over other BDZ-sensitive sites, and at lower doses (1-2 mg/kg) was devoid of potentiation at α1βγ2 GABAARs. The approximation approach revealed a modest selectivity of YT-III-31 for α3γ2- in comparison to α2γ2 and α5γ2 binding sites, suggesting that its anxiolytic-like activity may not necessarily or predominantly reflect potentiation at α3βγ2 GABAARs. Nonetheless, as the anxiolytic effects are achievable at a dose devoid of any sedative potential, and having favorable safety (cytotoxicity) and metabolic stability profile, YT-III-31 represents a valuable candidate for further translational research. |
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Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Unknown | 13 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Researcher | 4 | 31% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 3 | 23% |
Student > Master | 2 | 15% |
Unspecified | 1 | 8% |
Student > Bachelor | 1 | 8% |
Other | 1 | 8% |
Unknown | 1 | 8% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Neuroscience | 4 | 31% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 2 | 15% |
Environmental Science | 1 | 8% |
Unspecified | 1 | 8% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 1 | 8% |
Other | 3 | 23% |
Unknown | 1 | 8% |