On the existence of two GABA pools associated with newly synthesized GABA and with newly taken up GABA in nerve terminals

Abstract

[14C]Glutamic acid and [3H]GABA were injected into the lateral ventricle of mouse and then [14C]GABA and [3H]GABA in synaptosomes isolated from the animals were analysed. The [14C]GABA was interpreted to be newly synthesized GABA from [14C]glutamic acid while the [3H]GABA to be newly taken up GABA. We have obtained the following results: (1) when the animals were pretreated with aminooxyacetic acid and thus the GABA content in synaptosomes increased to about 2 times of the control level, only the [3H]GABA was enhanced to 3 times of the control level without any change of [14C]GABA, (2) the release of [14C]GABA from synaptosomes by high K+ depolarization was 1.5 times greater than that of [3H]GABA, (3) the releases of both [14C]GABA and [3H]GABA were increased in the presence of cold GABA, L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid or gamma-amino-beta-hydroxybutyric acid, but only slightly increased in the presence of beta-alanine. These results would suggest that newly synthesized GABA and newly taken up GABA localized individually in different pools, which might localize either in different nerve terminals or separately in the same nerve terminal.