Research reportThe essential role of hippocampal alpha6 subunit-containing GABAA receptors in maternal separation stress-induced adolescent depressive behaviors

- Rats with MS experienced reduced Gabra6 expression and depressive behaviors.
- Furosemide's effects on eIPSCs and miniature IPSPs were occluded in rats with MS.
- Knockdown of hippocampal Gabra6 expression mimicked furosemide's effects.
- Knockdown of hippocampal Gabra6 expression produced depressive behaviors.

Exposure to early stressful adverse life events such as maternal separation severely impacts the development of the nervous system. Using immunohistochemistry, quantitative PCR and Western blot approaches, we found that alpha6 subunit-containing GABAA receptors (Gabra6-containing GABAA Rs) were expressed on hippocampal interneurons of adolescent rats. Maternal separation stress (MS) from postnatal day 2 to15 significantly reduced Gabra6 expression and provoked depressive behaviors such as anhedonia. Furosemide, the selective antagonist of Gabra6-containing GABAARs, strongly increased peak amplitude of evoked IPSCs at CA3-CA1 synapses and the frequency of miniature IPSPs recorded from CA1 pyramidal cells in naive control animals, and this effect was occluded in MS animals. Knockdown of Gabra6 expression in hippocampus mimicked furosemide's effect and was sufficient to produce similar depressive symptoms that were observed in MS animals. These results indicate that the Gabra6-containing GABAA R is a key modulator of hippocampal synaptic transmission and likely plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of maternal separation-induced depression.