Effects of valproate on neurotransmission associated with ryanodine receptors

To clarify the antiepileptic mechanisms of valproate (VPA), we determined the effects of acute and sub-acute administrations of VPA on ryanodine receptor (RyR)-associated hippocampal releases of GABA and glutamate using microdialysis, as well expression of mRNA and protein of RyR subtypes in the rat hippocampus. Acute administration of therapeutic-relevant VPA did not affect the hippocampal extracellular levels of GABA or glutamate, whereas sub-acute administration increased GABA level without affecting that of glutamate. Perfusion with ryanodine increased the hippocampal extracellular level of glutamate (ryanodine concentration range: 1–1000 μM) concentration-dependently; however, that of GABA was increased by 1–100 μM ryanodine concentration-dependently but the stimulatory effects of 1000 μM ryanodine on GABA release was not observed. Both acute and sub-acute administrations of therapeutic-relevant VPA inhibited ryanodine-induced responses of hippocampal extracellular glutamate level without affecting that of GABA. Especially, both acute and sub-acute administrations of VPA prevented the breakdown of GABA release induced by 1000 μM ryanodine. Sub-acute administration of therapeutically-relevant dose VPA weakly increased RyR mRNA expression but we could not detect the changes of RyR protein expression in rat hippocampus. These results suggest that VPA inhibited the neurotransmitter release associated with RyR without affecting the expression of RyR protein. Therefore, the antiepileptic action of VPA seems to be mediated, at least in part, by an increase in basal GABA release and inhibition of RyR-associated glutamate release.