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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

GABA-activated Single-channel and Tonic Currents in Rat Brain Slices
Published on: July 17, 2011
Modulatory effect of substance P on GABA-activated currents from rat dorsal root ganglion
Jun-qiang Si1, Zhi-qin Zhang, Chun-xia Li
1Department of Physiology, Medical College Shihezi University, Shihezi 832002, China. sijunqiang11@hotmail.com
Aim:
To explore the modulatory effect of substance P (SP) on GABA-activated current of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in rat.
Methods:
The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to record SP- and GABA-activated currents in neurons freshly dissociated from rat DRG neurons. Drugs were applied by rapid solution exchange.
Results:
Application of SP (28/41, 68.5 %) and GABA (36/41, 88.2 %) could induce concentration-dependent inward current in some cells. SP-(10 micromol/L) and GABA (100 micromol/L)-activated inward currents were (244+/-83) pA (n=9) and (1.8+/-0.5) nA (n=13), respectively. The majority of GABA-activated current had obvious three processes, the peak value (I(p)), the steady state (I(ss)) and the desensitization (I(d)). The desensitization of GABA-activated current was a biphasic process, including fast and slow desensitization. However, pre-application of SP (0.001-1 micromol/L) could inhibit the GABA-activated inward current which was identified to be GABAA receptor-mediated current. The inhibitory effects were concentration-dependent. The inhibitory effect of SP on the peak value of GABA-activated current was more than the steady state of GABA-activated current. The inhibition of GABA-activated current by SP (0.1 micromol/L) was related to the time after application of SP, the inhibition of GABA-activated currents by SP reached the peak at about 4 min (49.8 %+/-7.2 %, n=7, P<0.01) and took about 12 min to get a full recovery. The inhibition of GABA-activated currents by SP was almost completely removed after blockade of PKC by H-7 with the re-patch clamp.
Conclusion:
Pre-application of SP exerts a more strong inhibitory effect on the peak value of GABA-activated current than the steady state of GABA-activated current.
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