TY - JOUR
T1 - GABA, a natural immunomodulator of T lymphocytes
AU - Bjurstöm, Helen
AU - Wang, Junyang
AU - Ericsson, Ida
AU - Bengtsson, Martin
AU - Liu, Yawei
AU - Kumar-Mendu, Suresh
AU - Issazadeh-Navikas, Shohreh
AU - Birnir, Bryndis
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main neuroinhibitory transmitter in the brain. Here we show that GABA in the extracellular space may affect the fate of pathogenic T lymphocytes entering the brain. We examined in encephalitogenic T cells if they expressed functional GABA channels that could be activated by the low (nM-1 microM), physiological concentrations of GABA present around neurons in the brain. The cells expressed the alpha1, alpha4, beta2, beta3, gamma1 and delta GABAA channel subunits and formed functional, extrasynaptic-like GABA channels that were activated by 1 microM GABA. 100 nM and higher GABA concentrations decreased T cell proliferation. The results are consistent with GABA being immunomodulatory.
AB - gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main neuroinhibitory transmitter in the brain. Here we show that GABA in the extracellular space may affect the fate of pathogenic T lymphocytes entering the brain. We examined in encephalitogenic T cells if they expressed functional GABA channels that could be activated by the low (nM-1 microM), physiological concentrations of GABA present around neurons in the brain. The cells expressed the alpha1, alpha4, beta2, beta3, gamma1 and delta GABAA channel subunits and formed functional, extrasynaptic-like GABA channels that were activated by 1 microM GABA. 100 nM and higher GABA concentrations decreased T cell proliferation. The results are consistent with GABA being immunomodulatory.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2008.08.017
DO - 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2008.08.017
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 18954912
SN - 0165-5728
VL - 205
SP - 44
EP - 50
JO - Journal of Neuroimmunology
JF - Journal of Neuroimmunology
IS - 1-2
ER -