Developmental Expression Patterns of GABAA Receptor Subunits in Layer 3 and 5 Pyramidal Cells of Monkey Prefrontal Cortex.

Cortical pyramidal neuron activity is regulated in part through inhibitory inputs mediated by GABAA receptors. The subunit composition of these receptors confers distinct functional properties. Thus, developmental shifts in subunit expression will likely influence the characteristics of pyramidal cell firing and the functional maturation of processes that depend on these neurons. We used laser microdissection and PCR to quantify postnatal developmental changes in the expression of GABAA receptor subunits (α1, α2, α5, β2, γ2, and δ) in layer 3 pyramidal cells of monkey prefrontal cortex, which are critical for working memory. To determine the specificity of these changes, we examined glutamate receptor subunits (AMPA Glur1 and NMDA Grin1) and conducted the same analyses in layer 5 pyramidal cells. Expression of GABAA receptor subunit mRNAs changed substantially, whereas glutamate receptor subunit changes were modest over postnatal development. Some transcripts (e.g., GABAA α1) progressively increased from birth until adulthood, whereas others (e.g., GABAA α2) declined with age. Changes in some transcripts were present in only one layer (e.g., GABAA δ). The development of GABAA receptor subunit expression in primate prefrontal pyramidal neurons is protracted and subunit- and layer-specific. These trajectories might contribute to the molecular basis for the maturation of working memory.