Sensitivity of the rat hippocampal GABA(A) receptor alpha 4 subunit to electroshock seizures.

The effects of one and five electroshock seizures on [3H]flunitrazepam binding, diazepam-insensitive (DIS) [3H]Ro 15-4513 binding, and levels of mRNA for GABA(A) receptor alpha1, alpha4, beta3 and gamma2 subunits were examined in rats. No changes in any parameter were observed in the CA1 region of hippocampus or in parietal cortex. However, a single seizure produced a rapid and transient increase of alpha4 mRNA in the dentate gyrus, without altering the expression of the other subunits. The putative alpha4 protein, as measured by DIS [3H]Ro 15-4513 binding, was also elevated in the dentate gyrus by a single shock. Repeated electroshock (48-h intervals) resulted in an enhanced response of the alpha4 subunit to the seizure. Neither one nor five seizures altered [3H]flunitrazepam binding.