Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-3 (GABRA3)

Gamma–aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha–3 is a protein encoded by the *GABRA3* gene in humans. It forms part of heteropentameric GABAA receptors—major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammalian brain—which function as ligand-gated chloride channels activated by gamma–aminobutyric acid (GABA). The presence and arrangement of different subunits—including various isoforms like α1–6—determine pharmacological properties and physiological roles. The α₃-containing subtype has been implicated in mediating anxiolytic effects without sedative side effects when selectively targeted by novel compounds. The pre-mRNA encoding this protein undergoes RNA editing that affects its functional properties during development and adulthood. Dysfunction or altered expression has been linked to several neurological diseases including anxiety disorders and chronic pain syndromes.

Other names

GABA(A) receptor, alpha 3GABAAR subunit alpha-3Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor alpha3 subunitGamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) A receptor, alpha 3

Drugs targeting this molecule typically act as positive allosteric modulators or direct agonists. They enhance chloride influx through the receptor upon activation by gamma–aminobutyric acid (GABA), leading to hyperpolarization and inhibition of neuronal firing. Benzodiazepines increase the frequency of chloride channel opening; barbiturates increase duration; selective ligands can modulate specific effects such as anxiolysis without sedation depending on their selectivity for the α3-containing subtype.