Modulation of GABA transport by adenosine A 1R-A 2AR heteromers, which are coupled to both G s- and G i/o-Proteins

Abstract

Astrocytes play a key role in modulating synaptic transmission by controlling the available extracellular GABA via the GAT-1 and GAT-3 GABA transporters (GATs). Using primary cultures of rat astrocytes, we show here that an additional level of regulation of GABA uptake occurs via modulation of the GATs by the adenosine A 1 (A 1R) and A 2A (A 2AR) receptors. This regulation occurs through a complex of heterotetramers (two interacting homodimers) of A 1R-A 2AR that signal via two different G-proteins, G s and G i/o, and either enhances (A 2AR) or inhibits (A 1R) GABA uptake. These results provide novel mechanistic insight into how G-protein-coupled receptor heteromers signal. Furthermore, we uncover a previously unknown mechanism in which adenosine, in a concentration-dependent manner, acts via a heterocomplex of adenosine receptors in astrocytes to significantly contribute to neurotransmission at the tripartite (neuron-glia-neuron) synapse. © 2011 the authors.