Effects of Prenatal Phenobarbital on Benzodiazepine Receptor Development |
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Authors: | Kennon M. Garrett Boris Tabakoff |
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Affiliation: | Department of CNS Research, Lederle Laboratories, Pearl River, New York;Laboratory for Studies of Neuroadaptive Processes, National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | Phenobarbital (PB) was administered to pregnant mice during days 9-21 of gestation. Forebrain and cerebellar [3H]flunitrazepam ([3H]FLU) binding was assayed in the offspring at birth and at 21 days of age. Prenatal treatment produced a decrease in the number (Bmax) of [3H]FLU receptors in both the forebrain and cerebellum at birth. A small decrease in the [3H]FLU dissociation constant (KD) values in the forebrain was also detected at birth, but no changes were seen in the [3H]FLU KD values in the cerebellum. No changes were observed in forebrain and cerebellar [3H]FLU Bmax or KD values at 21 days of age, indicating that the effects of prenatal exposure to PB on [3H]FLU binding are eliminated during the postnatal development of the forebrain and cerebellum. The receptor affinity for the triazolopyridazine CL 218,872, which distinguishes the type I and type II benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptors, was not altered by prenatal PB treatment. The coupling of the BDZ receptor to the gamma-aminobutyric acid and pentobarbital binding sites was unaffected by exposure to PB in utero. |
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Keywords: | Prenatal phenobarbital Benzodiazepine receptor development Receptor binding |
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