A selective age-related decrease in both the protein and mRNA levels of the most abundant GABAA receptor subunits has been revealed in the rat inferior colliculus. The number (not affinity) of the native and fully assembled GABAA receptors assayed by 3H-muscimol binding was also decreased (35-49%). The decrease in GABA receptors was accompanied by a decrease in the protein and mRNA of the GABA-...

In addition to its role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is presumed to be involved in the development and plasticity of the nervous system. GABA is synthesized by glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), but the respective roles of its two isoforms (GAD65 and 67) have not been determined. The selective elimination of each GAD isoform by gene targeting is expected to ...

antibodies directed against the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (gad) are believed to be the main cause of destruction of pancreatic islet cells in type i (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus. the enzyme was found both in the brain and pancreatic beta cells. although similarities in identity of gad in human and rat brain have been demonstrated, little is known about the interaction between ...

We previously demonstrated that administration of plasmid DNAs (pDNAs) encoding IL-4 and a fragment of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) fused to IgGFc induces GAD65-specific Th2 cells and prevents insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. To assess the general applicability of pDNA vaccination to mediate Ag-specific immune deviation, we examined the immun...

Insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease mediated by T lymphocytes recognizing pancreatic islet cell antigens. Glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) appears to be an important autoantigen in the disease. However, T cells from both patients with type 1 diabetes and healthy subjects vigorously proliferate in response to GAD65 stimulation ex vivo, leading us to postulate that th...

Aging of the brain is characterized by several neurochemical modifications involving structural proteins, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and related receptors. Alterations of neurochemical indices of synaptic function have been considered as indicators of age-related impairment of central functions, such as locomotion, memory and sensory performances. Several studies demonstrated that GABA re...

26 Background. The frequency of autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 27 (GAD65), and ICA512/IA2 (IA2) are a function of the specific human leukocyte antigen 28 (HLA) in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). We investigated the association of HLA class II 29 (DR, DQ) alleles and haplotypes with the presence of GAD and IA-2 autoantibodies in T1D. 30 Methods. Autoantibodies were tested ...

The etiology of psychotic disorders is still unknown, but in a subgroup patients symptoms might be caused by an autoimmune reaction. In this study, we tested patterns reactivity against potentially novel hippocampal antigens. Serum cohort 621 individuals with and 257 controls were first for on neuropil rat brain sections. Brain reactive sera (67 diseased, 27 healthy) further antibody binding to...

OBJECTIVE Patients with generalized autoimmune dysautonomia may also present with gastroparesis. Immune dysfunction in such patients can be evaluated using antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and full thickness biopsy of stomach. In this study, we utilize immunotherapy for treatment of drug and Gastric Electrical Stimulation (GES) resistant gastroparetic patients with evidence of ne...