Complex interaction between quisqualate and kainate receptors as revealed by measurement of GABA release from striatal neurons in primary culture.

The effects of non-NMDA receptor agonists were tested on endogenous GABA and [3H]GABA release from highly purified striatal neurons differentiated in primary culture. Kainate (KA), glutamate (Glu) and quisqualate (QA) stimulated [3H]GABA release with EC50S = 85 +/- 20 (n = 6), 6.21 +/- 1.42 (n = 3) and 0.135 +/- 0.035 (n = 3) microM, respectively. KA was the most potent (in term of efficacy) agonist (maximal response at 10 mM: 935 +/- 51% (n = 6) increase over basal release) followed by Glu (at 100 microM: 404 +/- 34% (n = 5) increase) and QA (at 10 microM: 91 +/- 6% (n = 6) increase). Phencyclidine (PCP), which was without effect on QA- and KA-evoked GABA release, inhibited the Glu response by about 50%. QA totally inhibited KA (50 microM)-evoked GABA release with an IC50 = 0.39 +/- 0.11 (n = 4) in a competitive manner (Ki = 0.39 +/- 0.07 microM (n = 3]. Competitive inhibition of the KA response was also observed with the other agonists of the quisqualate receptor, Glu and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), suggesting that Glu, QA and AMPA act as partial agonists at the KA receptor. gamma-D-Glutamylaminomethylsulfonic acid (GAMS) also inhibited (IC50 = 2.1 mM) the KA response competitively. However the inhibition by GAMS and QA was not additive. The response to QA was rapidly inactivated (no response after 3 min stimulation) in contrast to the KA-evoked GABA release which remained maximal for at least 3 min. When neurons were first exposed to concanavalin A (con A), a lectin known to inhibit Glu receptor desensitisation on insect muscles, the QA response remained maximal for at least 6 min. Con A greatly enhanced the maximal responses to QA and AMPA and decreased their apparent affinities. The KA-evoked GABA release (but not the veratridine and NMDA effects) was also augmented (no change in the EC50 value) by con A. It is proposed that QA, AMPA and KA act at the same receptor-channel complex (termed G2 receptor) which is desensitised more rapidly when stimulated by QA or AMPA than when stimulated by KA.