Phosphorylation of GABAA receptors influences receptor trafficking and neurosteroid actions

Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABA(A)Rs) are the principal mediators of inhibitory transmission in the mammalian central nervous system. GABA(A)Rs can be localized at post-synaptic inhibitory specializations or at extrasynaptic sites. While synaptic GABA(A)Rs are activated transiently following the release of GABA from presynaptic vesicles, extrasynaptic GABA(A)Rs are typically activated continuously by ambient GABA concentrations and thus mediate tonic inhibition. The tonic inhibitory currents mediated by extrasynaptic GABA(A)Rs control neuronal excitability and the strength of synaptic transmission. However, the mechanisms by which neurons control the functional properties of extrasynaptic GABA(A)Rs had not yet been explored. We review GABA(A)Rs, how they are assembled and trafficked, and the role phosphorylation has on receptor insertion and membrane stabilization. Finally, we review the modulation of GABA(A)Rs by neurosteroids and how GABA(A)R phosphorylation can influence the actions of neurosteroids. Trafficking and stability of functional channels to the membrane surface are critical for inhibitory efficacy. Phosphorylation of residues within GABA(A)R subunits plays an essential role in the assembly, trafficking, and cell surface stability of GABA(A)Rs. Neurosteroids are produced in the brain and are highly efficacious allosteric modulators of GABA(A)R-mediated current. This allosteric modulation by neurosteroids is influenced by the phosphorylated state of the GABA(A)R which is subunit dependent, adding temporal and regional variability to the neurosteroid response. Possible links between neurosteroid actions, phosphorylation, and GABA(A)R trafficking remain to be explored, but potential novel therapeutic targets may exist for numerous neurological and psychological disorders which are linked to fluctuations in neurosteroid levels and GABA(A) subunit expression.