GABAergic signaling is linked to a hypermigratory phenotype in dendritic cells infected by Toxoplasma gondii.

During acute infection in human and animal hosts, the obligate intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii infects a variety of cell types, including leukocytes. Poised to respond to invading pathogens, dendritic cells (DC) may also be exploited by T. gondii for spread in the infected host.

GABA maintains the proliferation of progenitors in the developing chick ciliary marginal zone and non-pigmented ciliary epithelium.

GABA is more than the main inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the adult CNS. Several studies have shown that GABA regulates the proliferation of progenitor and stem cells. This work examined the effects of the GABA(A) receptor system on the proliferation of retinal progenitors and non-pigmented ciliary epithelial (NPE) cells.

GABA is an effective immunomodulatory molecule.

In recent years, it has become clear that there is an extensive cross-talk between the nervous and the immune system. Somewhat surprisingly, the immune cells themselves do express components of the neuronal neurotransmitters systems. What role the neurotransmitters, their ion channels, receptors and transporters have in immune function and regulation is an emerging field of study.

Insulin reduces neuronal excitability by turning on GABA(A) channels that generate tonic current.

Insulin signaling to the brain is important not only for metabolic homeostasis but also for higher brain functions such as cognition. GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) decreases neuronal excitability by activating GABA(A) channels that generate phasic and tonic currents. The level of tonic inhibition in neurons varies.

Increased GABA(A) channel subunits expression in CD8(+) but not in CD4(+) T cells in BB rats developing diabetes compared to their congenic littermates.

GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is also present in the pancreatic islet β cells where it may function as a paracrine molecule and perhaps as an immunomodulator of lymphocytes infiltrating the pancreatic islet. We examined CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from diabetes prone (DR(lyp/lyp)) or resistant (DR(+/+)) congenic biobreeding (BB) rats for expression of GABA(A) channels. Our results show that BB rat CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells express α1, α2, α3, α4, α6, β3, γ1, δ, ρ1 and ρ2 GABA(A) channel subunits.

GABA, a natural immunomodulator of T lymphocytes.

gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main neuroinhibitory transmitter in the brain. Here we show that GABA in the extracellular space may affect the fate of pathogenic T lymphocytes entering the brain. We examined in encephalitogenic T cells if they expressed functional GABA channels that could be activated by the low (nM-1 microM), physiological concentrations of GABA present around neurons in the brain.