Modulation of GABAA receptor function by alcohols: effects of subunit composition and differential effects of ethanol

We sought to test the hypotheses that closely related alcohols would have effects on GABAA receptor function that were not predicted by differences in lipid solubility, and that the subunit structure of the GABAA receptor would significantly affect the actions of different alcohols. Cloned subunits of human GABAA receptors were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and two-electrode voltage-clamp recording was used to quantify the membrane current response to GABA in the presence and absence of different alcohols. 1-Butanol and 2-butanol differentially potentiated the response to 20 microM GABA in oocytes expressing the alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2L and alpha 2 beta 2 gamma 2L receptor isoforms. In the alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2L receptor construct, 1-butanol was more potent than 2-butanol to potentiate GABAA receptor function, but 2-butanol had a greater efficacy. In the alpha 2 beta 2 gamma 2L receptor construct, 1-butanol and 2-butanol were equipotent, but 2-butanol again had a greater efficacy. In the alpha 2 beta 2 receptor construct, both 1-butanol and 2-butanol produced large potentiations of the current response to 3 microM GABA. The efficacy for butanol potentiation of GABA responses in the absence of a gamma 2L subunit was greater, but the potency was greatly reduced. Low concentrations (20 mM) of ethanol potentiated GABA responses in the alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2L receptor construct. Ethanol potentiation of GABAA receptor function was completely blocked by the benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonist RO15-4513 at a concentration (0.5 microM) that did not alter the control GABA response. In contrast, RO15-4513 did not block potentiation of GABAA receptor activity induced by n-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, 1-heptanol, or propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol). These results suggest that alcohols have specific interactions with GABAA receptors, and that ethanol may have unique effects not shared by other longer chain alcohols.