Electrophysiological evidence for 4-isobutyl-3-isopropylbicyclophosphorothionate as a selective blocker of insect GABA-gated chloride channels

Invertebrate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated chloride channels (GABACls) and glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls), which function as inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors, are important targets of insecticides and antiparasitic agents. The antagonism of GABACls and GluCls by 4-isobutyl-3-isopropylbicyclophosphorothionate (PS-14) was examined in cultured cockroach and rat neurons using a whole-cell patch-clamp method. The results indicated that PS-14 selectively blocks cockroach GABACls relative to cockroach GluCls and rat GABACls. PS-14 represents a useful probe for the study of insect GABA receptors.

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