Enhanced Potassium‐Stimulated γ‐Aminobutyric Acid Release by Astrocytes Derived from Rats with Early Hepatogenic Encephalopathy

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Abstract
Bulk-isolated astrocytes from rats with early hepatogenic encephalopathy (HE) induced with thioacetamide responded to the increase of potassium in the incubation medium from 5 mM to 75 mM with a markedly enhanced release of previously taken up [14C].gamma.-aminobutyric acid ([14C]GABA). The process was not affected by omission of calcium and/or addition of EGTA to the incubation medium. Only a slight stimulation of GABA release by high potassium was observed in astrocytes from control rats. In contrast, histamine and histamine were vigorously released from control astrocytes in high-potassium medium, and the release was not enhanced by HE, indicating that the observed phenomenon is specific for GABA.