GABA receptors (GABA A Rs) mediate inhibition in the adult brain. These channels are heteropentamers and their ligand binding sites are localized at the ␤(ϩ)/␣(Ϫ) interfaces. As expected, mutations of binding-site residues affect binding kinetics but accumulating evidence indicates that gating is also altered, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We investigated the impact of the hydrophobic box residue localized at ␣ 1 (Ϫ), F64 (␣ 1 F64), on the binding and gating of rat recombinant ␣ 1 ␤ 1 ␥ 2 receptors. The analysis of current responses to rapid agonist applications confirmed a marked effect of ␣ 1 F64 mutations on agonist binding and revealed surprisingly strong effects on gating, including the disappearance of rapid desensitization, the slowing of current onset, and accelerated deactivation. Moreover, nonstationary variance analysis revealed that the ␣ 1 F64C mutation dramatically reduced the maximum open probability without altering channel conductance. Interestingly, for wild-type receptors, responses to saturating concentration of a partial agonist, P4S, showed no rapid desensitization, similar to GABA-evoked responses mediated by ␣ 1 F64C mutants. For the ␣ 1 F64L mutation, the application of the high-affinity agonist muscimol partially rescued rapid desensitization compared with responses evoked by GABA. These findings suggest that ␣ 1 F64 mutations do not disrupt desensitization mechanisms but rather affect other gating features that obscure it. Model simulations indicated that all of our observations related to ␣ 1 F64 mutations could be properly reproduced by altering the flipped state transitions that occurred after agonist binding but preceded opening. In conclusion, we propose that the ␣ 1 F64 residue may participate in linking binding and gating by influencing flipping kinetics.

The dietary oxylipins falcarinol (1a) and falcarindiol (1b) trap thiols by direct nucleophilic addition to their diyne system, but despite this, only falcarinol (1a) is a reversible agonist of cannabinoid receptors, providing a rationale for comparing their activity also on other neuronal targets. Because GABAA receptors (GABAARs) are exquisitely sensitive to polyacetylenic oxylipins in terms of either potentiation (falcarindiol, 1b) or inhibition (oenanthotoxin, 2a), the activity of 1a was investigated on synaptic (α1β2γ2L) and extrasynaptic (α1β2δ and α1β2) subtypes of GABAARs. Falcarinol (1a) significantly enhanced the amplitude of currents mediated by α1β2γ2L receptors, but this effect was associated with a use-dependent block. Conversely, α1β2 receptors were inhibited without any sign of use-dependent block for the entire range of concentrations tested (1-10 μM). Interestingly, responses mediated by α1β2δ receptors, showing no or very little macroscopic desensitization, were strongly potentiated by 1a, exhibiting a fading reminiscent of macroscopic desensitization. When compared to the activity of falcarindiol (1b), falcarinol (1a) showed a higher affinity for GABAARs and, overall, a substantially different profile of pharmacological action. Taken together, the present data support the view that modulation of GABAARs might underlie the insecticidal and sedative activity of falcarinol (1a).

GABAA receptors (GABAARs) play a crucial inhibitory role in the CNS. Benzodiazepines (BDZs) are positive modulators of specific subtypes of GABAARs, but the underlying mechanism remains obscure. Early studies demonstrated the major impact of BDZs on binding and more recent investigations indicated gating, but it is unclear which transitions are affected. Moreover, the upregulation of GABAAR spontaneous activity by BDZs indicates their impact on receptor gating but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, we investigated the effect of a BDZ (flurazepam) on the spontaneous and GABA-induced activity for wild-type (WT, α1β2γ2) and mutated (at the orthosteric binding site α1F64) GABAARs. Surprisingly, in spite of the localization at the binding site, these mutations increased the spontaneous activity. Flurazepam (FLU) upregulated this activity for mutants and WT receptors to a similar extent by affecting opening/closing transitions. Spontaneous activity affected GABA-evoked currents and is manifested as an overshoot after agonist removal that depended on the modulation by BDZs. We explain the mechanism of this phenomenon as a cross-desensitization of ligand-activated and spontaneously active receptors. Moreover, due to spontaneous activity, FLU-pretreatment and co-application (agonist + FLU) protocols yielded distinct results. We provide also the first evidence that GABAAR may enter the desensitized state in the absence of GABA in a FLU-dependent manner. Based on our data and model simulations, we propose that FLU affects agonist-induced gating by modifying primarily preactivation and desensitization. We conclude that the mechanisms of modulation of spontaneous and ligand-activated GABAAR activity concerns gating but distinct transitions are affected in spontaneous and agonist-evoked activity.

Falcarindiol (1), a C-17 polyacetylenic diol, shows a pleiotropic profile of bioactivity, but the mechanism(s) underlying its actions are largely unknown. Large amounts of 1 co-occur in water hemlock (Oenanthe crocata) along with the convulsant polyacetylenic toxin oenanthotoxin (2), a potent GABA(A) receptor (GABA(A)R) inhibitor. Since these compounds are structurally and biogenetically related, it was considered of interest to evaluate whether 1 could affect GABAergic activity, and for this purpose a model of hippocampal cultured neurons was used. Compound 1 significantly increased the amplitude of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents, accelerated their onset, and prolonged the decay kinetics. This compound enhanced also the amplitude of currents elicited by 3 μM GABA and accelerated their fading, reducing, however, currents evoked by a saturating (10 mM) GABA concentration. Moreover, kinetic analysis of responses to 10 mM GABA revealed that 1 upregulated the rate and extent of desensitization and slowed the current onset and deactivation. Taken together, these data show that 1 exerts a potent modulatory action on GABA(A)Rs, possibly by modulating agonist binding and desensitization, overall potentially decreasing the toxicity of co-occurring GABA-inhibiting convulsant toxins.

ZFYVE27 (Protrudin) was originally identified as an interacting partner of spastin, which is most frequently mutated in hereditary spastic paraplegia. ZFYVE27 is a novel member of FYVE family, which is implicated in the formation of neurite extensions by promoting directional membrane trafficking in neurons. Now, through a yeast two-hybrid screen, we have identified that ZFYVE27 interacts with itself and the core interaction region resides within the third hydrophobic region (HR3) of the protein. We confirmed the ZFYVE27's self-interaction in the mammalian cells by co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization studies. To decipher the oligomeric nature of ZFYVE27, we performed sucrose gradient centrifugation and showed that ZFYVE27 oligomerizes into dimer/tetramer forms. Sub-cellular fractionation and Triton X-114 membrane phase separation analysis indicated that ZFYVE27 is a peripheral membrane protein. Furthermore, ZFYVE27 also binds to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate lipid moiety. Interestingly, cells expressing ZFYVE27ΔHR3 failed to produce protrusions instead caused swelling of cell soma. When ZFYVE27ΔHR3 was co-expressed with wild-type ZFYVE27 (ZFYVE27WT), it exerted a dominant negative effect on ZFYVE27WT as the cells co-expressing both proteins were also unable to induce protrusions and showed cytoplasmic swelling. Altogether, it is evident that a functionally active form of oligomer is crucial for ZFYVE27 ability to promote neurite extensions.