“2-Arachidonoyl glycerol (2AG) is an endocannabinoid that activates cannabinoid (CB) receptors CB1 and CB2. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inactivates 2AG through hydrolysis to arachidonic acid (AA) and glycerol, thus modulating the activity at CB receptors.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27511795
“Stress and glucocorticoids stimulate the rapid mobilization of endocannabinoids in the basolateral amygdala (BLA).
Cannabinoid receptors in the BLA contribute to anxiogenesis and fear-memory formation. We tested for rapid glucocorticoid-induced endocannabinoid regulation of synaptic inhibition in the rat BLA.
Together, these findings suggest that acute stress causes a long-lasting suppression of synaptic inhibition in BLA neurons via a membrane glucocorticoid receptor-induced release of 2-AG at GABA synapses, which contributes to stress-induced anxiogenesis.
“Over the recent years, public and political opinions have demonstrated increasing support for the legalization of medical marijuana.
To date, 24 states as well as the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical use, 4 states have legalized the recreational use of Marijuana.
Marijuana is derived from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the major psychoactive constituent of cannabis, while cannabidiol (CBD) is the major non-psychoactive constituent. THC is a partial agonist at CB1 and CB2 receptors, while CBD at high levels is an antagonist CB1 and CB2.
CB1 is abundantly expressed in the brain, and CB2 is expressed on immune cells (expression of CB2 on neurons remains controversial). The brain also produces endogenous cannabis-like substances (endocannabinoids) that bind and activate the CB1/CB2 receptors.
There is tremendous interest in harnessing the therapeutic potential of plant-derived and synthetic cannabinoids.
This Editorial provides an overview of diseases that may be treated by cannabinoids.”
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“There is no published study regarding the interaction between muscarinic receptor modulators and antinociception induced by cannabinoidreceptor (CB2) agonist. The effect of pilocarpine (a muscarinic agonist) and atropine (a muscarinic antagonist) on JWH-133 (a CB2 agonist) induced analgesia in mice was studied. First the analgesic effect of JWH-133 (0.001-1 mg/Kg) or pilocarpine (2.5-20 mg/kg) or atropine (0.2-5 mg/kg) was evaluated. Subsequently, the effect of co-administration of pilocarpine (2.5 mg/kg) or atropine (5 mg/kg) and JWH-133 (0.001-1 mg/Kg) were studied too. JWH-133 and pilocarpine provoked antinociception in mice but atropine did not. Pilocarpine potentiated the analgesic effect of JWH-133 but atropine antagonized that. It can be concluded that JWH-133 induced antinociception is affected by muscarinic receptor modulators in mice.”
“Type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs) are widely expressed in the vertebrate retina but the role of endocannabinoids in vision is not fully understood. Here we identified a novel mechanism underlying a CB1R-mediated increase in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) intrinsic excitability acting through AMPK-dependent inhibition of NKCC1 activity.
Clomeleon imaging and patch clamp recordings revealed that inhibition of NKCC1 downstream of CB1R activation reduces intracellular Cl– levels in RGCs, hyperpolarizing the resting membrane potential. We confirmed that such hyperpolarization enhances RGC action potential firing in response to subsequent depolarization, consistent with the increased intrinsic excitability of RGCs observed with CB1R activation.
Using a dot avoidance assay in freely swimming Xenopus tadpoles we demonstrate that CB1R activation markedly improves visual contrast sensitivity under low light conditions.
These results highlight a role for endocannabinoids in vision, and present a novel mechanism for cannabinoid modulation of neuronal activity through Cl– regulation.”
“Multiple lines of evidence implicate the endocannabinoid signaling system in the modulation of metabolic disease.
Genetic or pharmacological inactivation of CB1 in rodents leads to reduced body weight, resistance to diet-induced obesity, decreased intake of highly palatable food, and increased energy expenditure.
Cannabinoid agonists stimulate feeding in rodents and increased levels of endocannabinoids can disrupt lipid metabolism. Therefore, the hypothesis that sustained endocannabinoid signaling can lead to obesity and diabetes was examined in this study using S426A/S430A mutant mice expressing a desensitization-resistant CB1 receptor.
These mice display exaggerated and prolonged responses to acute administration of phytocannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids, and endocannabinoids. As a consequence these mice represent a novel model for determining the effect of enhanced endocannabinoid signaling on metabolic disease.
Our results indicate that S426A/S430A mutant mice expressing the desensitization-resistant form of CB1 do not exhibit differences in body weight, food intake, glucose homeostasis, or re-feeding following a fast.”
“Historical and scientific evidence suggests that Cannabis use has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects.
We have here investigated the effect of the non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and of a Cannabis sativa extract with high (64.8%) content in THCV (THCV-BDS) on nitric oxide (NO) production, and on cannabinoid and transient receptor potential (TRP) channel expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages.
THCV-BDS and THCV exhibited similar affinity in radioligand binding assays for CB1 and CB2 receptors, and inhibited, via CB2 but not CB1 cannabinoid receptors, nitrite production evoked by LPS in peritoneal macrophages.
THCV down-regulated the over-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) proteins induced by LPS.
Furthermore, THCV counteracted LPS-induced up-regulation of CB1 receptors, without affecting the changes in CB2, TRPV2 or TRPV4 mRNA expression caused by LPS. Other TRP channels, namely, TRPA1, TRPV1, TRPV3 and TRPM8 were poorly expressed or undetectable in both unstimulated and LPS-challenged macrophages.
It is concluded that THCV – via CB2 receptor activation – inhibits nitrite production in macrophages. The effect of this phytocannabinoid was associated with a down-regulation of CB1, but not CB2 or TRP channel mRNA expression.”
“We have investigated the effects of cannabinoid agonists and antagonists on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced secretion of interleukin-8 from the colonic epithelial cell line, HT-29.
The cannabinoid receptor agonists [(-)-3-[2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethyl-heptyl)-phenyl]4-[3-hydroxypropyl]cyclo-hexan-1-ol] (CP55,940); Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; [R(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-[(morpholinyl) methyl] pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl](1-naphthyl) methanone mesylate] (WIN55,212-2) and 1-propyl-2-methyl-3-naphthoyl-indole (JWH 015) inhibited TNF-alpha induced release of interleukin-8 in a concentration-dependent manner.
We conclude that in HT-29 cells, TNF-alpha-induced interleukin-8 release is inhibited by cannabinoids through activation of cannabinoid CB(2) receptors.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12498928
“Essential involvement of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in acute inflammation.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7964163
“Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is known to possess tumorigenic and proangiogenic properties. Overexpression of IL-8 has been detected in many human tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). IL-8 promotes tumor growth, metastasis, chemoresistance and angiogenesis, implying IL-8 to be an important therapeutic target in CRC.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20648559
“This study has implications for developing new therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, pain, and metabolic disorders.
GPR55 is activated by l-α-lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) but also by certain cannabinoids.
In this study, we investigated the GPR55 pharmacology of various cannabinoids, including analogues of the CB1 receptor antagonist Rimonabant®, CB2 receptor agonists, and Cannabis sativa constituents.
Here, we show that CB1 receptor antagonists can act both as agonists alone and as inhibitors of LPI signaling under the same assay conditions. This study clarifies the controversy surrounding the GPR55-mediated actions of SR141716A; some reports indicate the compound to be an agonist and some report antagonism. In contrast, we report that the CB2 ligand GW405833 behaves as a partial agonist of GPR55 alone and enhances LPI signaling. GPR55 has been implicated in pain transmission, and thus our results suggest that this receptor may be responsible for some of the antinociceptive actions of certain CB2 receptor ligands.
Here, we report that the little investigated cannabis constituents CBDV, CBGA, and CBGV are potent inhibitors of LPI-induced GPR55 signaling.
The phytocannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin, cannabidivarin, and cannabigerovarin are also potent inhibitors of LPI.
Our findings also suggest that GPR55 may be a new pharmacological target for the following C. sativa constituents: Δ9-THCV, CBDV, CBGA, and CBGV.
These Cannabis sativa constituents may represent novel therapeutics targeting GPR55.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249141/
“Lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) is a bioactive lipid generated by phospholipase A2 which is believed to play an important role in several diseases.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22285325
“The endogenous cannabinoid system plays important roles in the retina of mice and monkeys via their classic CB1 and CB2 receptors.
We have previously reported that the G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55), a putative cannabinoid receptor, is exclusively expressed in rod photoreceptors in the monkey retina, suggesting its possible role in scotopic vision.
These results support the hypothesis that GPR55 plays an instrumental role in mediating scotopic vision.”