Isoliquiritigenin, a Chalcone Compound, Enhances Spontaneous Inhibitory Postsynaptic Response.

Author: Junsung WOO ¹ ; Suengmok CHO ; C Justin LEE
Author Information

1. Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, Korea. cjl@kist.re.kr
Publication Type:Original Article
Keywords: Isoliquiritigenin; GABA(A)-BZD receptor; sIPSC
MeSH: Animals; Brain; Chalcone*; Flumazenil; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials; Mice; Neurons; Synaptic Transmission
From:Experimental Neurobiology 2014;23(2):163-168
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: Isoliquiritigenin (ILTG) is a chalcone compound and shows various pharmacological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In recent study, we have reported a novel role of ILTG in sleep through a positive allosteric modulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A))-benzodiazepine (BZD) receptors. However, the effect of ILTG in GABA(A)R-mediated synaptic response in brain has not been tested yet. Here we report that ILTG significantly prolonged the decay of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) mediated by GABA(A)R in mouse hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons without affecting amplitude and frequency of sIPSCs. This enhancement was fully inhibited by flumazenil (FLU), a specific GABA(A)-BZD receptor antagonist. These results suggest a potential role of ILTG as a modulator of GABAergic synaptic transmission.