GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC-ACID, RECEPTOR FUNCTION IS MODULATED BY CYCLIC-GMP

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate nervous system. Modulatory effects of intracellular ATP on the GABA response in isolated bullfrog dorsal root ganglion ne urons were examined using whole-cell voltage clamp. Investigation of t he plausible mechanisms ATP might utilize to regulate the GABA respons e led to the discovery that intracellular cyclic GMP may play an impor tant role in modulating inhibitory neurotransmission, This modulatory effect of cyclic GMP is likely to be mediated via a cyclic GMP-depende nt protein kinase.