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Effects of GABA and GABA receptor inhibition on differentiation of mesencephalic precursors into dopaminergic neurons in vitro

Neurotransmitters have been shown to control CNS neurogenesis, and GABA‐mediated signaling is thought to be involved in the regulation of nearly all key developmental stages. Generation of dopaminergic (DA) neurons from stem/precursor cells for cell therapy in Parkinson's disease has become a major focus of research. However, the possible effects of GABA on generation of DA neurons from proliferating neurospheres of mesencephalic precursors have not been studied. In the present study, GABAA, and GABAB receptors were found to be located in DA cells. Treatment of cultures with GABA did not cause significant changes in generation of DA cells from precursors. However, treatment with the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (10−5 M) led to a significant increase in the number DA cells, and treatment with the GABAB receptor antagonist CGP 55845 (10−5 M) to a significant decrease. Simultaneous treatment with bicuculline and CGP 55845 did not induce significant changes. Apoptotic cell death studies and bromodeoxyuridine immunohistochemistry indicated that the aforementioned differences in generation of DA neurons are not due to changes in survival or proliferation of DA cells, but rather to increased or decreased differentiation of mesencephalic precursors towards the DA phenotype. The results suggest that these effects are exerted via GABA receptors located on DA precursors, and are not an indirect consequence of effects on the serotonergic or glial cell population. Administration of GABAA receptor antagonists in the differentiation medium may help to obtain higher rates of DA neurons for potential use in cell therapy for Parkinson's disease. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007