Differential effects of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers on the GABA receptor subunits expressed in human embryonic kidney cell line.

We have recently demonstrated by patch clamp experiments that the four isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH insecticides, modulated the kinetics of the GABAA receptor-chloride channel complex of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. The present paper reports the differential effects of HCH isomers of the GABA-induced chloride currents in three combinations of alpha, beta and gamma subunits of GABAA receptor expressed in human embryonic kidney cells. When co-applied with GABA, gamma-HCH strongly suppressed the peak amplitude of GABA-induced current, and delta-HCH strongly enhanced it in the alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2s, alpha 1 beta 2, alpha 6 beta 2 gamma 2s combinations in a dose-dependent manner. There was little or no difference in the dose dependence of the effects between gamma- and delta-HCH in any of the three subunit combinations. However, alpha- and beta-HCH showed differential effects on GABA-induced chloride currents in the three subunit combinations tested. alpha-HCH showed enhancing effects on the peak current in alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2s, small enhancing effects on alpha 1 beta 2, and biphasic effects on alpha 6 beta 2 gamma 2s subunit combinations. beta-HCH had little or no effect on the peak current in alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2s and alpha 1 beta 2 combinations, but suppressed currents in the alpha 6 beta2 gamma 2s subunit combination in a dose-dependent manner. The differential actions of HCH isomers may produce variable effects on different regions of the nervous systems and in different species of animals.