Etazolate (SQ20009): electrophysiology and effects on [3H]flunitrazepam binding in cultured cortical neurons

The actions of etazolate (SQ20009) on cultured cortical neurons have been examined in electrophysiological experiments and in receptor binding studies. Etazolate (0.3 to 100 microM) prolongs the duration of spontaneously occurring IPSPs. Higher concentrations of etazolate produce an increase in membrane chloride conductance, an effect which is picrotoxinin and bicuculline sensitive. Etazolate potentiates the response to exogenously applied GABA and acts synergistically with diazepam to enhance GABA-mediated conductance. Etazolate does not increase glycine-mediated conductance changes. Etazolate increases [3H]flunitrazepam binding and stimulates the GABA enhancement of [3H]flunitrazepam binding. In addition, GABA stimulates the etazolate enhancement of [3H]flunitrazepam binding. The etazolate-mediated increases in binding are Cl- dependent and picrotoxinin and bicuculline sensitive. The dose response relationships for etazolate-mediated effects are similar in physiological experiments and in binding studies. These data suggest that etazolate interacts with the postsynaptic GABA receptor complex at a site distinct from either the GABA recognition site or the benzodiazepine binding site to enhance GABA-mediated inhibition and to increase benzodiazepine binding.