Differential roles of mGlu8 receptors in the regulation of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid release at periaqueductal grey level

We investigated the role of group III metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors on glutamate and GABA releases at the periaqueductal grey (PAG) level by using in vivo microdialysis in rats. Intra-PAG perfusion of either l -(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid ( l -AP4, 100–300 μM), ( RS )-4-phosphonophenylglycine (( RS )-PPG, 100–300 μM) selective agonists of group III mGlu receptors, or ( S )-3,4-dicarboxyphenylglycine (( S )-3,4-DCPG, 50–100 μM), a selective agonist of mGlu8 receptor, increased glutamate and decreased GABA extracellular concentrations. ( RS )-α-methylserine- O -phosphate (MSOP, 0.5 mM), a selective group III receptor antagonist, perfused in combination with ( S )-3,4-DCPG, l -AP4 or ( RS )-PPG, antagonised the effects induced by these agonists on both extracellular glutamate and GABA values. α-Methyl-3-methyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (UBP1112, 300 μM), a group III mGlu receptor antagonist, perfused in combination with ( RS )-PPG or ( S )-3,4-DCPG, antagonised the effects induced by these agonists. Intra-PAG perfusion with forskolin (100 μM), an activator of adenylate cyclase, increased dialysate glutamate and GABA levels. Moreover, intra-PAG perfusion with N -[2-( p -bromocinnamyl-amino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide dihydrochloride (H-89) (100 μM), a protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor, abolished the effect of ( S )-3,4-DCPG on both glutamate and GABA releases. H-89, per se, did not modify glutamate release but reduced extracellular GABA value at the higher dosage used (200 μM). These data suggest that group III mGlu receptors in the PAG modulate the releases of glutamate and GABA conversely. In particular, both the facilitation of glutamate and the inhibition of GABA releases require the participation of coupling to adenylate cyclase and the subsequent activation of the PKA pathway.