Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells express GABAA receptor subunits.

The polymerase chain reaction was used to screen human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and Jurkat cells for the presence of GABAA receptor subunit mRNAs. Positive signals were detected for the alpha1, alpha3, beta2, beta3, delta and epsilon subunit mRNAs in both cell populations, with the Jurkat cells giving a positive signal for some additional species. Real-time PCR was used to confirm that PBMC, lymphocytes and monocytes contained significant levels of the alpha1 subunit mRNA and that PBMC and lymphocytes contained low levels of beta2 mRNA.