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Cerebral Cortex Advance Access originally published online on April 20, 2006
Cerebral Cortex 2007 17(3):653-660; doi:10.1093/cercor/bhk010
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
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Insertion of {alpha}7 Nicotinic Receptors at Neocortical Layer V GABAergic Synapses Is Induced by a Benzodiazepine, Midazolam

Sumii Yamamoto1, Junko Yamada2, Shinya Ueno1, Hisahiko Kubota1, Tomonori Furukawa1, Seiji Yamamoto3 and Atsuo Fukuda1,2

1 Department of Physiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan, 2 Graduate School of Electric Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8561, Japan, 3 Photon Medical Research Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan

Address correspondence to Atsuo Fukuda MD, PhD, Department of Physiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Handayama 1-20-1, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan. Email: axfukuda{at}hama-med.ac.jp.

Benzodiazepines act mainly at postsynaptic {gamma}-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors. In rat neocortical layer V pyramidal neurons, we found that midazolam (MDZ), a benzodiazepine, increases the frequency of GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) via insertion of {alpha}7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) at presynaptic GABAergic boutons. Although nicotine alone had no effect, MDZ plus nicotine dramatically increased mIPSC frequency. Neostigmine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, mimicked the actions of nicotine. MDZ increased the number of {alpha}-bungarotoxin–bound boutons that were blocked by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, as revealed by confocal imaging of a neuron-synaptic bouton preparation. Thus, MDZ may induce membrane translocation of {alpha}7 nAChRs on GABAergic boutons via activation of PKC, enabling endogenous acetylcholine to increase GABA release. The above actions seem unique to MDZ because neither other benzodiazepines (diazepam and flunitrazepam) nor zolpidem had this effect. The findings reveal both a novel cholinergic modulatory mechanism affecting GABAergic transmission and a novel action of some general anesthetics.

Key Words: GABA • hypnotics • nicotine • presynaptic • translocation


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