GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter and its concentrations in the brain could be associated with EtOH-induced impairment of motor coordination. GABA is synthesized by two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD): GAD65 and GAD67. Mice deficient in GAD65 (GAD65-KO) can...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wataru Matsunaga, Toru Shinoe, Moritoshi Hirono
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286031
_version_ 1797801995592007680
author Wataru Matsunaga
Toru Shinoe
Moritoshi Hirono
author_facet Wataru Matsunaga
Toru Shinoe
Moritoshi Hirono
author_sort Wataru Matsunaga
collection DOAJ
description γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter and its concentrations in the brain could be associated with EtOH-induced impairment of motor coordination. GABA is synthesized by two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD): GAD65 and GAD67. Mice deficient in GAD65 (GAD65-KO) can grow up to adulthood, and show that GABA concentration in their adult brains was 50-75% that of wild-type C57BL/6 mice (WT). Although a previous study showed that there was no difference in recovery from the motor-incoordination effect of acute intraperitoneally administered injections of 2.0 g/kg EtOH between WT and GAD65-KO, the sensitivity of GAD65-KO to acute EtOH-induced ataxia has not been fully understood. Here, we sought to determine whether motor coordination and spontaneous firing of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) in GAD65-KO are more sensitive to the effect of EtOH than in WT. Motor performance in WT and GAD65-KO was examined by rotarod and open-field tests following acute administration of EtOH at lower-doses, 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg. In a rotarod test, there was no significant difference between WT and GAD65-KO in terms of baseline motor coordination. However, only the KO mice showed a significant decrease in rotarod performance of 1.2 g/kg EtOH. In the open-field test, GAD65-KO showed a significant increase in locomotor activity after 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg EtOH injections, but not WT. In in vitro studies of cerebellar slices, the firing rate of PCs was increased by 50 mM EtOH in GAD65-KO compared with WT, whereas no difference was observed in the effect of EtOH at more than 100 mM between the genotypes. Taken together, GAD65-KO are more susceptible to the effect of acute EtOH exposure on motor coordination and PC firing than WT. This different sensitivity could be attributed to the basal low GABA concentration in the brain of GAD65-KO.
first_indexed 2024-03-13T04:59:02Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b6363bd9938a4100b84b3581451b5219
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-13T04:59:02Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-b6363bd9938a4100b84b3581451b52192023-06-17T05:32:01ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01185e028603110.1371/journal.pone.0286031GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.Wataru MatsunagaToru ShinoeMoritoshi Hironoγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter and its concentrations in the brain could be associated with EtOH-induced impairment of motor coordination. GABA is synthesized by two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD): GAD65 and GAD67. Mice deficient in GAD65 (GAD65-KO) can grow up to adulthood, and show that GABA concentration in their adult brains was 50-75% that of wild-type C57BL/6 mice (WT). Although a previous study showed that there was no difference in recovery from the motor-incoordination effect of acute intraperitoneally administered injections of 2.0 g/kg EtOH between WT and GAD65-KO, the sensitivity of GAD65-KO to acute EtOH-induced ataxia has not been fully understood. Here, we sought to determine whether motor coordination and spontaneous firing of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) in GAD65-KO are more sensitive to the effect of EtOH than in WT. Motor performance in WT and GAD65-KO was examined by rotarod and open-field tests following acute administration of EtOH at lower-doses, 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg. In a rotarod test, there was no significant difference between WT and GAD65-KO in terms of baseline motor coordination. However, only the KO mice showed a significant decrease in rotarod performance of 1.2 g/kg EtOH. In the open-field test, GAD65-KO showed a significant increase in locomotor activity after 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg EtOH injections, but not WT. In in vitro studies of cerebellar slices, the firing rate of PCs was increased by 50 mM EtOH in GAD65-KO compared with WT, whereas no difference was observed in the effect of EtOH at more than 100 mM between the genotypes. Taken together, GAD65-KO are more susceptible to the effect of acute EtOH exposure on motor coordination and PC firing than WT. This different sensitivity could be attributed to the basal low GABA concentration in the brain of GAD65-KO.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286031
spellingShingle Wataru Matsunaga
Toru Shinoe
Moritoshi Hirono
GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.
PLoS ONE
title GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.
title_full GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.
title_fullStr GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.
title_full_unstemmed GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.
title_short GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.
title_sort gad65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286031
work_keys_str_mv AT watarumatsunaga gad65deficientmicearesusceptibletoethanolinducedimpairmentofmotorcoordinationandfacilitationofcerebellarneuronalfiring
AT torushinoe gad65deficientmicearesusceptibletoethanolinducedimpairmentofmotorcoordinationandfacilitationofcerebellarneuronalfiring
AT moritoshihirono gad65deficientmicearesusceptibletoethanolinducedimpairmentofmotorcoordinationandfacilitationofcerebellarneuronalfiring