First Demonstration of a Functional Role for Central Nervous System Betaine/γ-Aminobutyric Acid Transporter (mGAT2) Based on Synergistic Anticonvulsant Action among Inhibitors of mGAT1 and mGAT2

In a recent study, EF1502 [N-[4,4-bis(3-methyl-2-thienyl)-3-butenyl]-3-hydroxy-4-(methylamino)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo [d]isoxazol-3-ol], which is an N-substituted analog of the GAT1-selective GABA uptake inhibitor exo-THPO (4-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol), was found to inhibit GABA transport mediated by both GAT1 and GAT2 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells expressing the mouse GABA transporters GAT1 to 4 (mGAT1–4). In the present study, EF1502 was found to possess a broad-spectrum anticonvulsant profile in animal models of generalized and partial epilepsy. When EF1502 was tested in combination with the clinically effective GAT1-selective inhibitor tiagabine [(R)-N-[4,4-bis(3-methyl-2-thienyl)-3-butenyl]nipecotic acid] or LU-32-176B [N-[4,4-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-butyl]-3-hydroxy-4-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol], another GAT1-selective N-substituted analog of exo-THPO, a synergistic rather than additive anticonvulsant interaction was observed in the Frings audiogenic seizure-susceptible mouse and the pentylenetetrazol seizure threshold test. In contrast, combination of the two mGAT1-selective inhibitors, tiagabine and LU-32-176B, resulted in only an additive anticonvulsant effect. Importantly, the combination of EF1502 and tiagabine did not result in a greater than additive effect in the rotarod behavioral impairment test. In subsequent in vitro studies conducted in HEK-293 cells expressing the cloned mouse GAT transporters mGAT1 and mGAT2, EF1502 was found to noncompetitively inhibit both mGAT1 and the betaine/GABA transporter mGAT2 (Ki of 4 and 5 μM, respectively). Furthermore, in a GABA release study conducted in neocortical neurons, EF1502 did not act as a substrate for the GABA carrier. Collectively, these findings support a functional role for mGAT2 in the control of neuronal excitability and suggest a possible utility for mGAT2-selective inhibitors in the treatment of epilepsy.

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