Release of taurine, GABA and dopamine from rat striatal slices: mutual interactions and developmental aspects

The spontaneous and potassium-stimulated release of preloaded taurine and GABA from striatal slices of adult and 7-day-old rats were studied using a superfusion system. Particular attention was paid to mutual interactions of taurine and GABA with dopamine in the release processes. Potassium stimulation (50 mM) enhanced taurine release more in the immature than in the adult striatum, whereas the response was the opposite with GABA release. Spontaneous taurine efflux was increased by dopamine and apomorphine, whereas stimulated release was suppressed by these agents in both age groups. This dopamine effect was partially antagonized by haloperidol, suggesting that dopaminergic systems were able to modify taurine release, possibly via dopaminergic receptors. Dopamine and apomorphine had similar but more inconsistent effects on striatal GABA release, which were not, however, mediated through conventional dopamine receptors. Stimulation with 25 mM K+ caused an 11-fold increase in striatal dopamine release: this effect was potentiated by taurine, while the actions of GABA on dopamine release were variable.