Neurexins and neuroligins: new partners for GABA_A receptors at synapses

Abstract

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. As one of several types of endogenous receptors, GABA_A receptors have been shown to be essential in most, if not all, aspects of brain functioning, including neural development and information processing. Mutations in genes encoding GABA_A receptors and alterations in the function of GABA_A receptors are associated with many neurologic diseases, and GABA_A receptors have been clinically targeted by many drugs, such as benzodiazepines and general anesthetics. Extensive studies have revealed a number of intracellular chaperons/interactions for GABA_A receptors, providing a protein–protein network in regulating the trafficking and location of GABA_A receptors in the brain. Recently, neurexins and neuroligins, two families of transmembrane proteins present at neurological synapses, are implicated as new partners to GABA_A receptors. These works shed new light on the synaptic regulation of GABA_A receptor activity. Here, we summarized the proteins that were implicated in the function of GABA_A receptors, including neurexins and neuroligins.

Keywords

GABA_A receptors / synapses / neurexins / neuroligins

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program No. 2011CB809102 to C. Z.); and “985” Research Foundation of Peking University (to C. Z.).

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