Effects Of Unilateral Labyrinthectomy On GABAA Receptor Subunit Expression In The Rat Vestibular Nucleus And Floccular

Objective we investigated whether vestibular compensation following unilateral vestibular labyrinthectomy(UL) is associated with changes in the expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor(GABAA) subunitsα3,β1,δin rat vestibular nuclear complex(VNC).Methods we used western blot and immunohistochemistry to quantify the expression of these subunits in the VNC at 1d, 3d and 7d following unilateral vestibular labyrinthectomy and control group in rat.Results there were no significant differences in the protein expression of theα3,β1,δsubunit within the ipsilateral and contralateral VNC at any time post-UL compared to control group.Conclusion Our data suggest that expression changes of GABAA receptorα3,β1,δsubunits in the VNC most probably were not involved in the early stage of the vestibular compensation process. Objective To observe the expression of gamma-amino butyric acid A receptor (GABAA receptor)α3,β1,δsubunits in rat flocculus following unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL).Methods we used immunohistochemistry to quantify the expression of these subunits in the flocculus at 1d, 3d and 7d following unilateral vestibular labyrinthectomy and control group in rat.Results GABAA receptorβ1,δsubunits in flocculus was induced increase in the operated side after unilateral labyrinthectomy. The most expression was in the 1 day flocculus of following UL. The expression is descending from the 3 day to 7 day flocculus of following UL. The GABAA receptorα3 subunit immunostaining in flocculus was weak and did not change in the process of vestibular compensation.Conclusions GABAA receptorβ1,δsubunits were induced increase in the flocculus after unilateral labyrinthectomy. The alteration in the resting discharge of the central vestibular neurons may be caused by the increase of GABAA receptorβ1,δsubunits in the flocculus. But the significance of the change of GABAA receptorβ1,δsubunits in the vestibular compensation is still unknown. Our study suggests that GABAA receptorα3 subunits may not participate in constructing GABAA receptor in the flocculus.