Journal Article

Inhibitory role for GABA in autoimmune inflammation

Bhat, Roopa, Lock, Christopher, Miranda, Melissa, Steinman, Lawrence, Mitra, Ananya, Tsien, Richard W, Axtell, Robert

2010

Overview

GABA, the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain, has a parallel inhibitory role in the immune system. We demonstrate that immune cells synthesize GABA and have the machinery for GABA catabolism. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) express functional GABA receptors and respond electrophysiologically to GABA. Thus, the immune system harbors all of the necessary constituents for GABA signaling, and GABA itself may function as a paracrine or autocrine factor. These observations led us to ask further whether manipulation of the GABA pathway influences an animal model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Increasing GABAergic activity ameliorates ongoing paralysis in EAE via inhibition of inflammation. GABAergic agents act directly on APCs, decreasing MAPK signals and diminishing subsequent adaptive inflammatory responses to myelin proteins.

• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences,National Acad Sciences
• Subject: 4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase - genetics / 4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase - metabolism / adults / Amino acids / Animal models / Animals / antigen-presenting cells / Antigen-Presenting Cells - cytology / Antigen-Presenting Cells - metabolism / Antigen-Presenting Cells - physiology / Antigens / autocrine signaling / Biological Sciences / Blotting, Western / Brain / Cells / Cells, Cultured / Central nervous system / Cytokines / encephalitis / Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental - immunology / Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental - metabolism / Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental - prevention & control / GABA Agents - pharmacology / GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics / GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism / gamma-aminobutyric acid / gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - immunology / gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism / gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - pharmacology / gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors / Immune system / Inflammation / Inflammation - immunology / Inflammation - metabolism / Inflammation - prevention & control / Interferon-gamma - metabolism / Interleukin-17 - metabolism / Macrophages / Macrophages - cytology / Macrophages - metabolism / Macrophages - physiology / Membrane Potentials - drug effects / metabolism / Mice / Mice, Inbred C57BL / Mice, Transgenic / mitogen-activated protein kinase / Multiple sclerosis / Multiple Sclerosis - immunology / Multiple Sclerosis - metabolism / Myelin Proteins / Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein - immunology / Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / Neurons / Neurotransmitters / paralysis / Patch-Clamp Techniques / Proteins / Receptors / Receptors, GABA - genetics / Receptors, GABA - metabolism / Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / sclerosis / Splenocytes / T lymphocytes / T-Lymphocytes - drug effects / T-Lymphocytes - immunology / T-Lymphocytes - metabolism