The activity of zolpidem and other hypnotics within the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor supramolecular complex, as determined by 35S-t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (35S-TBPS) binding to rat cerebral cortex membranes.

The present study compares the effects of different hypnotics acting at omega 1/omega 2 sites (zolpidem, zopiclone, flunitrazepam and triazolam) on 35S-t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (35S-TBPS) binding to well-washed rat cerebral membranes, in the presence of 1M NaCl. Under these conditions, all compounds enhanced 35S-TBPS binding in the 0.05 to 10 microM range with EC50 values and maximal enhancement of: zolpidem, 84 nM and 36%; flunitrazepam, 8 nM and 41%; zopiclone, 171 nM and 51%; triazolam, 2 nM and 42%. Under these conditions, gamma-aminobutyric acid enhanced 35S-TBPS binding with an EC50 of 240 nM and a 38% maximal increase. The EC50 values for the stimulation of 35S-TBPS binding are well correlated, with (r = 0.97) the affinity of these compounds at omega 1/omega 2 sites, and are in the same concentration range. This enhanced binding was due to an altered apparent affinity for the 35S-TBPS recognition site without any change in the number of sites (Scatchard analysis). The effect of zolpidem and other hypnotics was antagonized by flumazenil. This was an apparently competitive antagonism in the case of zolpidem or flunitrazepam, whereas for zopiclone, increasing the concentration of the hypnotic did not overcome the antagonism. Bicuculline only partially antagonized the hypnotic-induced enhancement of 35S-TBPS binding. This antagonism was more effective for zopiclone (-57%) than for either zolpidem (-33%) or flunitrazepam (-30%). Zolpidem and the other hypnotics studied induced a fast component of dissociation which was not observed in the control membranes. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that omega 1/omega 2 agonists increase the frequency of openings of the chloride ionophore, with both gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

Differentiation of activities within the GABAA-chloride ionophore complex by means of 35-S-TBPS binding.

From the above results, it is evident that both alpidem and zolpidem modulate the GABAA receptor linked chloride ionophore in an allosteric manner via omega 1 anxiolytic/hypnotic recognition sites. As both are highly specific for the omega 1 site, with little affinity for the omega 2 site, it appears that omega 1 site activation is sufficient to fully engage the various linkages within the GABAA receptor supramolecular complex, resulting in modulation of the chloride ionophore. This action is related to an enhanced affinity of the recognition site for TBPS. Under the present conditions (high sodium chloride, frozen well-washed membranes), several (but not all, e.g. zolpidem) anxiolytics and hypnotics decreased TBPS binding at very high (100-500 microM) concentrations. This effect is unlikely related to the pharmacological activity of these compounds, as it is insensitive to flumazenil and occurs only at concentrations which would be supra-toxic. In contrast, the enhancement of TBPS binding by these anxiolytics and hypnotics occurs within the range of, and correlates with, their therapeutic plasma levels and their affinity for omega 1/omega 2 receptors. The present findings suggest that a different degree of linkage for different compounds occurs between the GABAA receptor and the omega 1/omega 2 receptor mediated enhancement of TBPS binding, as the action of alpidem is completely reversed by bicuculline, whereas for zopidem and flunitrazepam a component of the TBPS enhancement is bicuculline insensitive. A Ro 5-4864 sensitive site (probably not the omega 3 site) occurs with the GABAA receptor supramolecular complex, which apparently participates in the enhancement of TBPS binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)