Thyroid hormones modulate GABAA receptor-mediated currents in hippocampal neurons

Thyroid hormones (THs) play a crucial role in the maturation and functioning of mammalian central nervous system. Thyroxine (T4) and 3, 3′, 5-l-triiodothyronine (T3) are well known for their genomic effects, but recently attention has been focused on their non genomic actions as modulators of neuronal activity. In the present study we report that T4 and T3 reduce, in a non competitive manner, GABA-evoked currents in rat hippocampal cultures with IC50s of 13 ± 4 μM and 12 ± 3 μM, respectively. The genomically inactive compound rev-T3 was also able to inhibit the currents elicited by GABA. Blocking PKC or PKA activity, chelating intracellular calcium, or antagonizing the integrin receptor αVβ3 with TETRAC did not affect THs modulation of GABA-evoked currents. THs affect also synaptic activity in hippocampal and cortical cultured neurons.T3 and T4 reduced to approximately 50% the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous inhibitory synaptic currents (sIPSCs), without altering their decay kinetic. Tonic currents evoked by low GABA concentrations were also reduced by T3 (40 ± 5%, n = 14), but not by T4. Similarly, T3 decreased currents elicited by low concentrations of THIP, a low affinity GABAA receptor agonist that preferentially activates extrasynaptic receptors, whereas T4 was ineffective. Thus, our data demonstrate that T3 and T4 selectively affect GABAergic phasic and tonic neurotransmission. Since THs concentrations can be regulated at the level of the synapses these data suggest that the network activity of the whole brain could be differently modulated depending on the relative amount of these two hormones.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Trends in Neuropharmacology: In Memory of Erminio Costa’.

► Thyroid hormones (THs) could regulate brain function through non genomic mechanisms.
► T3 and T4 decrease inhibitory neurotransmission mediated by GABAA receptors in cultured neurons.
► Both THs reduce amplitude and frequency of synaptic events (sIPSCS) while only T3 decreases GABA tonic current.
► Since THs levels can vary in the different brain areas a fast modulatory role of THs in physiological or pathological situations has been suggested.