Direct Structural Insights into GABAA Receptor Pharmacology

Jeong Joo Kim; Ryan E Hibbs

doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2021.01.011

Direct Structural Insights into GABA_A Receptor Pharmacology

Trends Biochem Sci. 2021 Jun;46(6):502-517. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2021.01.011. Epub 2021 Mar 3.

Authors

Jeong Joo Kim¹, Ryan E Hibbs²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
² Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address: ryan.hibbs@utsouthwestern.edu.

Abstract

GABA_A receptors are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels that mediate most fast neuronal inhibition in the brain. In addition to their important physiological roles, they are noteworthy in their rich pharmacology; prominent drugs used for anxiety, insomnia, and general anesthesia act through positive modulation of GABA_A receptors. Direct structural information for how these drugs work was absent until recently. Efforts in structural biology over the past few years have revealed how important drug classes and natural products interact with the GABA_A receptor, providing a foundation for studies in dynamics and structure-guided drug design. Here, we review recent developments in GABA_A receptor structural pharmacology, focusing on subunit assemblies of the receptor found at synapses.

Keywords: Cys-loop receptor structure; benzodiazepine; bicuculline; cryo-EM structure; general anesthetic; picrotoxin.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Ligand-Gated Ion Channels*
Receptors, GABA-A*

Substances

Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
Receptors, GABA-A

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

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