Action of 4-amino-2-fluorobutanoic acid and other structural analogues on gamma-aminobutyric acid transport by channel catfish brain.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in mammalian brain. The synaptic action of GABA is terminated by a sodium- and chloride-linked transport system. The GABA transporter is known as GAT and several isoforms have been identified. Many components of a GABA neurotransmitter system, including a GABA transport system, are present in channel catfish brain. Using a synaptosomal preparation of catfish brain, we examined the kinetics of inhibition of GABA transport by 4-amino-2-fluorobutanoic acid and several other structural analogues of GABA. The transport constant (Kt) for GABA uptake was 4.46 microM, and 4-amino-2-fluorobutanoic acid produced a noncompetitive type of inhibition (Ki = 12.5 microM). The most potent inhibitors were tiagabine (Ki = 0.23 microM) and (R,S)nipecotic acid (Ki = 2.2 microM), both of which exhibited competitive inhibition. Like 4-amino-2-fluorobutanoic acid, homo-beta-proline (Ki = 9.4 microM) inhibited noncompetitively. Other analogues exhibited competitive inhibition. These observations suggest that the GABA transport system in channel catfish is remarkably similar to that in mammalian brain.