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Wang X, Wang X, Wang T. Synthesis of oleoylethanolamide using lipase. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2012; 60:451-457. [PMID: 22121828 DOI: 10.1021/jf203629w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
An effective process for the enzymatic synthesis of oleoylethanolamide is described in this study. The process included purification of a commercial oleic acid product and then optimization of the reaction between the purified oleic acid and ethanolamine in the presence of hexane and a lipase. Under the optimal amidation reaction conditions identified, oleoylethanolamide was obtained with 96.6% purity. The synthesis was also conducted on a large scale (50 mmol of each of the reactants), and oleoylethanolamide purity and yield after crystallization purification were 96.1 and 73.5%, respectively. Compared to the previous studies, the current method of preparing high-purity oleoylethanolamide is more effective and economically feasible. The scalability and ease for such synthesis make it possible to study the biological and nutritional functions of the cannabinoid-like oleoylethanolamide in animal or human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, People's Republic of China
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Hamtiaux L, Hansoulle L, Dauguet N, Muccioli GG, Gallez B, Lambert DM. Increasing antiproliferative properties of endocannabinoids in N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells through inhibition of their metabolism. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26823. [PMID: 22046372 PMCID: PMC3203169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 10/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The antitumoral properties of endocannabinoids received a particular attention these last few years. Indeed, these endogenous molecules have been reported to exert cytostatic, apoptotic and antiangiogenic effects in different tumor cell lines and tumor xenografts. Therefore, we investigated the cytotoxicity of three N-acylethanolamines – N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide, AEA), N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA) - which were all able to time- and dose-dependently reduce the viability of murine N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, several inhibitors of FAAH and NAAA, whose presence was confirmed by RT-PCR in the cell line, induced cell cytotoxicity and favored the decrease in cell viability caused by N-acylethanolamines. The most cytotoxic treatment was achieved by the co-incubation of AEA with the selective FAAH inhibitor URB597, which drastically reduced cell viability partly by inhibiting AEA hydrolysis and consequently increasing AEA levels. This combination of molecules synergistically decreased cell proliferation without inducing cell apoptosis or necrosis. We found that these effects are independent of cannabinoid, TRPV1, PPARα, PPARγ or GPR55 receptors activation but seem to occur through a lipid raft-dependent mechanism. These findings further highlight the interest of targeting the endocannabinoid system to treat cancer. More particularly, this emphasizes the great potential benefit of designing novel anti-cancerous therapies based on the association of endocannabinoids and inhibitors of their hydrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Hamtiaux
- Medicinal Chemistry, Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laurie Hansoulle
- Medicinal Chemistry, Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dauguet
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Giulio G. Muccioli
- Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids Laboratory, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard Gallez
- Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Didier M. Lambert
- Medicinal Chemistry, Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Cable JC, Tan GD, Alexander SPH, O'Sullivan SE. The activity of the endocannabinoid metabolising enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase in subcutaneous adipocytes correlates with BMI in metabolically healthy humans. Lipids Health Dis 2011; 10:129. [PMID: 21813022 PMCID: PMC3161878 DOI: 10.1186/1476-511x-10-129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2011] [Accepted: 08/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a ubiquitously expressed signalling system, with involvement in lipid metabolism and obesity. There are reported changes in obesity of blood concentrations of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglcyerol (2-AG), and of adipose tissue expression levels of the two key catabolic enzymes of the ECS, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL). Surprisingly, however, the activities of these enzymes have not been assayed in conditions of increasing adiposity. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether FAAH and MGL activities in human subcutaneous adipocytes are affected by body mass index (BMI), or other markers of adiposity and metabolism. Methods Subcutaneous abdominal mature adipocytes, fasting blood samples and anthropometric measurements were obtained from 28 metabolically healthy subjects representing a range of BMIs. FAAH and MGL activities were assayed in mature adipocytes using radiolabelled substrates. Serum glucose, insulin and adipokines were determined using ELISAs. Results MGL activity showed no relationship with BMI or other adiposity indices, metabolic markers (fasting serum insulin or glucose) or serum adipokine levels (adiponectin, leptin or resistin). In contrast, FAAH activity in subcutaneous adipocytes correlated positively with BMI and waist circumference, but not with skinfold thickness, metabolic markers or serum adipokine levels. Conclusions In this study, novel evidence is provided that FAAH activity in subcutaneous mature adipocytes increases with BMI, whereas MGL activity does not. These findings support the hypothesis that some components of the ECS are upregulated with increasing adiposity in humans, and that AEA and 2-AG may be regulated differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemma C Cable
- School of Graduate Entry Medicine and Health, University of Nottingham, Derby, DE22 3DT, UK.
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54
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Thabuis C, Destaillats F, Lambert DM, Muccioli GG, Maillot M, Harach T, Tissot-Favre D, Martin JC. Lipid transport function is the main target of oral oleoylethanolamide to reduce adiposity in high-fat-fed mice. J Lipid Res 2011; 52:1373-82. [PMID: 21515921 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m013391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the biological basis of reduced fat gain by oleoylethanolamide (OEA) in high-fat-fed mice and sought to determine how degradation of OEA affected its efficiency by comparing its effects to those of KDS-5104, a nonhydrolyzable lipid OEA analog. Mice were given OEA or KDS-5104 by the oral route (100 mg/kg body weight). Sixty-eight variables per mouse, describing six biological processes (lipid transport, lipogenesis, energy intake, energy expenditure, endocannabinoid signaling, and glucose metabolism), spanning gene expression of biochemical and physiological parameters were examined to determine the primary target whereby OEA reduces fat gain. Although KDS-5104 but not OEA was resistant to fatty acid amide hydrolase hydrolysis, OEA was degraded by an unidentified hydrolysis system in the liver. Nevertheless, both compounds equally decreased body fat pads after 5 weeks (20%; P < 0.05). The six biological functions constructed from the 68 initial variables predicted up to 58% of adipose fat variations. Lipid transport appeared central to the explanation for body fat deposition (16%; P < 0.0001), in which decreased expression of the FAT/CD36 gene was the component most related to adipose depots. Lipid transport appears to be a determinant player in the OEA fat-lowering response, with adipose tissue FAT/CD36 expression being the most relevant bioindicator of OEA action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Thabuis
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1260 Nutriments Lipidiques et Préventiondes Maladies Métaboliques, Marseille, France
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The ethanolamide metabolite of DHA, docosahexaenoylethanolamine, shows immunomodulating effects in mouse peritoneal and RAW264.7 macrophages: evidence for a new link between fish oil and inflammation. Br J Nutr 2011; 105:1798-807. [DOI: 10.1017/s0007114510005635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Several mechanisms have been proposed for the positive health effects associated with dietary consumption of long-chain n-3 PUFA (n-3 LC-PUFA) including DHA (22 : 6n-3) and EPA (20 : 5n-3). After dietary intake, LC-PUFA are incorporated into membranes and can be converted to their corresponding N-acylethanolamines (NAE). However, little is known on the biological role of these metabolites. In the present study, we tested a series of unsaturated NAE on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages. Among the compounds tested, docosahexaenoylethanolamine (DHEA), the ethanolamide of DHA, was found to be the most potent inhibitor, inducing a dose-dependent inhibition of NO release. Immune-modulating properties of DHEA were further studied in the same cell line, demonstrating that DHEA significantly suppressed the production of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), a cytokine playing a pivotal role in chronic inflammation. In LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages, DHEA also reduced MCP-1 and NO production. Furthermore, inhibition was also found to take place at a transcriptional level, as gene expression of MCP-1 and inducible NO synthase was inhibited by DHEA. To summarise, in the present study, we showed that DHEA, a DHA-derived NAE metabolite, modulates inflammation by reducing MCP-1 and NO production and expression. These results provide new leads in molecular mechanisms by which DHA can modulate inflammatory processes.
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56
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Pavón FJ, Serrano A, Romero-Cuevas M, Alonso M, Rodríguez de Fonseca F. Oleoylethanolamide: a new player in peripheral control of energy metabolism. Therapeutic implications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ddmec.2011.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Abstract
Since the first endocannabinoid anandamide was identified in 1992, extensive research has been conducted to characterize the elements of the tightly controlled endocannabinoid signaling system. While it was established that the activity of endocannabinoids are terminated by a two-step process that includes cellular uptake and degradation, there is still a continuing debate about the mechanistic role of these processes in inactivating anandamide signals.
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58
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Ueda N, Tsuboi K, Uyama T. N-acylethanolamine metabolism with special reference to N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA). Prog Lipid Res 2010; 49:299-315. [PMID: 20152858 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2010.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) constitute a class of bioactive lipid molecules present in animal and plant tissues. Among the NAEs, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide), N-palmitoylethanolamine, and N-oleoylethanolamine attract much attention due to cannabimimetic activity as an endocannabinoid, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, and anorexic activity, respectively. In mammalian tissues, NAEs are formed from glycerophospholipids through the phosphodiesterase-transacylation pathway consisting of Ca(2+)-dependent N-acyltransferase and N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D. Recent studies revealed the presence of alternative pathways and enzymes responsible for the NAE formation. As for the degradation of NAEs, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which hydrolyzes NAEs to fatty acids and ethanolamine, plays a central role. However, a lysosomal enzyme referred to as NAE-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA) also catalyzes the same reaction and may be a new target for the development of therapeutic drugs. In this article we discuss recent progress in the studies on the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and degradation of NAEs with special reference to NAAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuo Ueda
- Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa, Japan
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59
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Costa B, Bettoni I, Petrosino S, Comelli F, Giagnoni G, Di Marzo V. The dual fatty acid amide hydrolase/TRPV1 blocker, N-arachidonoyl-serotonin, relieves carrageenan-induced inflammation and hyperalgesia in mice. Pharmacol Res 2010; 61:537-46. [PMID: 20138997 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2010.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2009] [Revised: 01/18/2010] [Accepted: 02/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Given that the pharmacological or genetic inactivation of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) counteracts pain and inflammation, and on the basis of the established involvement of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channels in inflammatory pain, we tested the capability of a dual FAAH/TRPV1 blocker, N-arachidonoyl-serotonin (AA-5-HT), to relieve oedema and pain in a model of acute inflammation, and compared its efficacy with that of a single FAAH inhibitor (URB597) or TRPV1 antagonist (capsazepine). Acute inflammation was induced by intraplantar injection of lambda-carrageenan into mice and the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive actions of AA-5-HT were assessed at different doses, time points and treatment schedule. In addition, endocannabinoid levels were measured in paw skin and spinal cord. Systemic administration of AA-5-HT elicited dose-dependent anti-oedemigen and anti-nociceptive effects, whereas it was devoid of efficacy when given locally. When tested in a therapeutic regimen, the compound retained comparable anti-inflammatory effects. TRPV1 receptor mediated the anti-inflammatory property of AA-5-HT, whereas both CB(1) and TRPV1 receptors were involved in its anti-hyperalgesic activity. These effects were accompanied by an increase of the levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) in both inflamed paw and spinal cord. AA-5-HT was more potent than capsazepine as anti-oedemigen and anti-hyperalgesic drug, whereas it shows an anti-oedemigen property similar to URB597, which was, however, devoid of the anti-nociceptive effect. AA-5-HT did not induce unwanted effects on locomotion and body temperature. In conclusion AA-5-HT has both anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic properties and its employment offers advantages, in terms of efficacy and lack of adverse effects, deriving from its dual activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Costa
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy.
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Selective N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase inhibition reveals a key role for endogenous palmitoylethanolamide in inflammation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:20966-71. [PMID: 19926854 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0907417106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying points of control in inflammation is essential to discovering safe and effective antiinflammatory medicines. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a naturally occurring lipid amide that, when administered as a drug, inhibits inflammatory responses by engaging peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha). PEA is preferentially hydrolyzed by the cysteine amidase N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA), which is highly expressed in macrophages. Here we report the discovery of a potent and selective NAAA inhibitor, N-[(3S)-2-oxo-3-oxetanyl]-3-phenylpropanamide [(S)-OOPP], and show that this inhibitor increases PEA levels in activated leukocytes and blunts responses induced by inflammatory stimuli both in vitro and in vivo. These effects are stereoselective, mimicked by exogenous PEA, and abolished by PPAR-alpha deletion. (S)-OOPP also attenuates inflammation and tissue damage and improves recovery of motor function in mice subjected to spinal cord trauma. The results suggest that PEA activation of PPAR-alpha in leukocytes serves as an early stop signal that contrasts the progress of inflammation. The PEA-hydrolyzing amidase NAAA may provide a previously undescribed target for antiinflammatory medicines.
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Kaczocha M, Glaser ST, Chae J, Brown DA, Deutsch DG. Lipid droplets are novel sites of N-acylethanolamine inactivation by fatty acid amide hydrolase-2. J Biol Chem 2009; 285:2796-806. [PMID: 19926788 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.058461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Anandamide (AEA) and other bioactive N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are primarily inactivated by the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Recently, FAAH-2 was discovered in humans, suggesting an additional enzyme can mediate NAE inactivation in higher mammals. Here, we performed a biochemical characterization of FAAH-2 and explored its capacity to hydrolyze NAEs in cells. In homogenate activity assays, FAAH-2 hydrolyzed AEA and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) with activities approximately 6 and approximately 20% those of FAAH, respectively. In contrast, FAAH-2 hydrolyzed AEA and PEA in intact cells with rates approximately 30-40% those of FAAH, highlighting a potentially greater contribution toward NAE catabolism in vivo than previously appreciated. In contrast to endoplasmic reticulum-localized FAAH, immunofluorescence revealed FAAH-2 was localized on lipid droplets. Supporting this distribution pattern, the putative N-terminal hydrophobic region of FAAH-2 was identified as a functional lipid droplet localization sequence. Lipid droplet localization was essential for FAAH-2 activity as chimeras excluded from lipid droplets lacked activity and/or were poorly expressed. Lipid droplets represent novel sites of NAE inactivation. Therefore, we examined substrate delivery to these organelles. AEA was readily trafficked to lipid droplets, confirming that lipid droplets constitute functional sites of NAE inactivation. Collectively, these results establish FAAH-2 as a bone fide NAE-catabolizing enzyme and suggest that NAE inactivation is spatially separated in cells of higher mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kaczocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA.
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Murakami T, Obata T, Kuwahara-Arai K, Tamura H, Hiramatsu K, Nagaoka I. Antimicrobial cathelicidin polypeptide CAP11 suppresses the production and release of septic mediators in D-galactosamine-sensitized endotoxin shock mice. Int Immunol 2009; 21:905-12. [PMID: 19556302 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxp057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endotoxin shock is a severe systemic inflammatory response that is caused by the augmented production and release of septic mediators. Among them, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 play a pivotal role. In addition, anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid and high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), a non-histone chromosomal protein has recently been recognized as members of septic mediators. We previously reported that cationic antibacterial polypeptide of 11-kDa (CAP11), an antimicrobial cathelicidin peptide (originally isolated from guinea pig neutrophils), potently neutralizes the biological activity of LPS and protects mice from lethal endotoxin shock. In this study, to clarify the protective mechanism of CAP11 against endotoxin shock, we evaluated the effects of CAP11 on the production and release of septic mediators in vitro and in vivo using a murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 and a D-galactosamine-sensitized murine endotoxin shock model. LPS stimulation induced the production of inflammatory cytokines and anandamide and release of HMGB1 from RAW264.7 cells. Importantly, CAP11 suppressed the LPS-induced production and release of these mediators by RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, LPS administration enhanced the serum levels of HMGB1, anandamide and inflammatory cytokines in the endotoxin shock model. Of note, CAP11 suppressed the LPS-induced increase of these mediators in sera, and LPS binding to CD14-positive cells (peritoneal macrophages), accompanied with the increase of survival rates. Together these observations suggest that the protective action of CAP11 on endotoxin shock may be explained by its suppressive effect on the production and release of septic mediators by CD14-positive cells possibly via the inhibition of LPS binding to the targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisuke Murakami
- Department of Host Defense and Biochemical Research, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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63
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Hansen HS, Diep TA. N-acylethanolamines, anandamide and food intake. Biochem Pharmacol 2009; 78:553-60. [PMID: 19413995 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2009.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2009] [Revised: 04/23/2009] [Accepted: 04/27/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Anandamide and the other N-acylethanolamines, e.g. oleoylethanolamide (OEA), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and linoleoylethanolamide (LEA), may be formed by several enzymatic pathways from their precursors, which are the N-acylated ethanolamine phospholipids. The exact enzymatic pathways involved in their biosynthesis in specific tissues are not clarified. It has been suggested that endogenous anandamide could stimulate food intake by activation of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and/or in the intestinal tissue. On the other hand, endogenous OEA and PEA have been suggested to inhibit food intake by acting on receptors in the intestine. At present, there is no clear role for endogenous anandamide in controlling food intake via cannabinoid receptors, neither centrally nor in the gastrointestinal tract. However, OEA, PEA and perhaps also LEA may be involved in regulation of food intake by selective prolongation of feeding latency and post-meal interval. These N-acylethanolamines seem to be formed locally in the intestine, where they can activate PPARalpha located in close proximity to their site of synthesis. The rapid onset of OEA response and its reliance on an intact vagus nerve suggests that activation of PPARalpha does not result in formation of a transcription-dependent signal but must rely on an unidentified non-genomic signal that translates to activation of vagal afferents. Whether GPR119, TRPV1 and/or intestinal ceramide levels also contribute to the anorectic and weight-reducing effect of exogenous OEA is less clear. Prolonged intake of dietary fat (45 energy%) may promote over-consumption of food by decreasing the endogenous levels of OEA, PEA and LEA in the intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald S Hansen
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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64
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Identification of intracellular carriers for the endocannabinoid anandamide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:6375-80. [PMID: 19307565 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0901515106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid anandamide (arachidonoyl ethanolamide, AEA) is an uncharged neuromodulatory lipid that, similar to many neurotransmitters, is inactivated through its cellular uptake and subsequent catabolism. AEA is hydrolyzed by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), an enzyme localized on the endoplasmic reticulum. In contrast to most neuromodulators, the hydrophilic cytosol poses a diffusional barrier for the efficient delivery of AEA to its site of catabolism. Therefore, AEA likely traverses the cytosol with the assistance of an intracellular carrier that increases its solubility and rate of diffusion. To study this process, AEA uptake and hydrolysis were examined in COS-7 cells expressing FAAH restricted to the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, or the Golgi apparatus. AEA hydrolysis was detectable at the earliest measurable time point (3 seconds), suggesting that COS-7 cells, normally devoid of an endocannabinoid system, possess an efficient cytosolic trafficking mechanism for AEA. Three fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) known to be expressed in brain were examined as possible intracellular AEA carriers. AEA uptake and hydrolysis were significantly potentiated in N18TG2 neuroblastoma cells after overexpression of FABP5 or FABP7, but not FABP3. Similar results were observed in COS-7 cells stably expressing FAAH. Consistent with the roles of FABP as AEA carriers, administration of the competitive FABP ligand oleic acid or the selective non-lipid FABP inhibitor BMS309403 attenuated AEA uptake and hydrolysis by approximately 50% in N18TG2 and COS-7 cells. Taken together, FABPs represent the first proteins known to transport AEA from the plasma membrane to FAAH for inactivation and may therefore be novel pharmacological targets.
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Alexander SPH, Kendall DA. The life cycle of the endocannabinoids: formation and inactivation. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2009; 1:3-35. [PMID: 21104378 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-88955-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In this chapter, we summarise the current thinking about the nature of endocannabinoids. In describing the life cycle of these agents, we highlight the synthetic and catabolic enzymes suggested to be involved. For each of these, we provide a systematic analysis of information on sequence, subcellular and cellular distribution, as well as physiological and pharmacological substrates, enhancers and inhibitors, together with brief descriptions of the impact of manipulating enzyme levels through genetic mechanisms (dealt with in more detail in the chapter "Genetic Models of the Endocannabinoid System" by Monory and Lutz, this volume). In addition, we describe experiments investigating the stimulation of endocannabinoid synthesis and release in intact cell systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P H Alexander
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
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66
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Shiratsuchi A, Ichiki M, Okamoto Y, Ueda N, Sugimoto N, Takuwa Y, Nakanishi Y. Inhibitory effect of N-palmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine on macrophage phagocytosis through inhibition of Rac1 and Cdc42. J Biochem 2008; 145:43-50. [PMID: 18974159 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvn139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The production of N-acylethanolamine (NAE) is enhanced during inflammation. NAE is synthesized from phosphatidylethanolamine with N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE) as a precursor. The amount of NAPE at the site of inflammation exceeds that of NAE. This evokes the possibility that NAPE possesses a biological function, as does NAE. We here examined if N-palmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (NPPE), a precursor of N-palmitoylethanolamine, modulates the state of inflammation. We found that the level of the phagocytosis of latex beads, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, or apoptotic cells by mouse peritoneal macrophages or J774A.1 macrophages was reduced in the presence of liposomes containing NPPE, while that of dextran remained unaffected. This action of NPPE seemed to be due to the inhibition of the activation of Rac1 and Cdc42 in macrophages. These results suggested that NAPE is bioactive lipid acting toward the termination of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Shiratsuchi
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology; Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
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67
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Nuclear localisation of the endocannabinoid metabolizing enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in invasive trophoblasts and an association with recurrent miscarriage. Placenta 2008; 29:970-5. [PMID: 18805581 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2008.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2008] [Revised: 08/06/2008] [Accepted: 08/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are lipid signalling molecules that are related to the major psychoactive component in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and are increasingly recognized as being important in implantation and development of early embryos. The endocannabinoid anandamide, is metabolized by the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and insufficient levels of this enzyme have been implicated in spontaneous miscarriage in women and implantation failure in mice. We screened placental bed biopsies and placental tissue from 45 women with recurrent miscarriage and 17 gestation-matched women with normal pregnancies for the expression of FAAH by immunohistochemistry. Unexpectedly, the enzyme appeared to be localised to the nucleus of trophoblasts and this was confirmed by western blotting of sub-cellular fractions and confocal microscopy. FAAH was expressed in the cytoplasm of large decidual stromal cells and significantly more women with recurrent miscarriage (73%) expressed FAAH in these cells than women with normal pregnancy (31%). FAAH was also expressed in the nucleus of extravillous trophoblasts that had invaded the decidua from 67% of women with recurrent miscarriage but was not expressed by these cells in any women with normal pregnancies. In contrast, FAAH was expressed in extravillous trophoblasts that had migrated out of the villi but that had not yet invaded the decidua in both normal pregnancies and in cases of recurrent miscarriage. FAAH was also present in the nucleus of a small number of villous trophoblasts in some specimens. FAAH appears to be over expressed in trophoblasts that have invaded the decidua, as well as in large decidual stromal cells in many cases of recurrent miscarriage. This may reflect inadequate control of the cannabinoid system in the uterus of women who experience recurrent miscarriages. The functional significance of the unexpected nuclear localisation of FAAH in trophoblasts is not yet clear.
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68
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Wang J, Zhao LY, Uyama T, Tsuboi K, Wu XX, Kakehi Y, Ueda N. Expression and secretion of N-acylethanolamine-hydrolysing acid amidase in human prostate cancer cells. J Biochem 2008; 144:685-90. [PMID: 18806270 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvn122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are a class of bioactive lipid molecules in animal tissues, including the endocannabinoid anandamide and the anti-inflammatory substance N-palmitoylethanolamine. Enzymatic hydrolysis of NAEs is considered to be an important step to regulate their endogenous levels. Lysosomal NAE-hydrolysing acid amidase (NAAA) as well as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is responsible for this reaction. Here, we report relatively high expression of NAAA in human prostate cancer cells (PC-3, DU-145 and LNCaP) and prostate epithelial cells (PrEC), with the highest mRNA level in LNCaP cells. FAAH and the NAE-forming enzyme N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolysing phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) were also detected in these cells. NAAA activity in LNCaP cells could be distinguished from coexisting FAAH activity, based on their different pH dependency profiles and specific inhibition of FAAH activity by URB597. These results showed that both the enzymes were functionally active. We also found that NAAA was partly secreted from LNCaP cells, which underlined possible usefulness of this enzyme as a biomarker of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Kagawa, Japan
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69
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Wang J, Zhao LY, Uyama T, Tsuboi K, Tonai T, Ueda N. Amino acid residues crucial in pH regulation and proteolytic activation of N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2008; 1781:710-7. [PMID: 18793752 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2008.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2008] [Revised: 08/04/2008] [Accepted: 08/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
N-Acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA) is a lysosomal enzyme which hydrolyzes bioactive N-acylethanolamines, including anandamide and N-palmitoylethanolamine. NAAA shows acidic pH optimum in terms of both catalytic activity and maturation by specific proteolysis. However, molecular mechanism involved in this characteristic pH dependency remained unclear. Here we report the important role of Glu-195 of human NAAA by analyzing the mutants E195A and E195Q overexpressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Concanamycin A, raising lysosomal pH, inhibited maturation of the wild-type, but not of the Glu-195 mutants. The purified precursors of the mutants, but not the wild-type, were proteolytically cleaved at pH 7.4 during 24-h incubation. Furthermore, when assayed for N-palmitoylethanolamine-hydrolyzing activity at different pH, the mutants did not exhibit a sharp peak around pH 4.5 in the pH-dependent activity profile. Mutants of other seven glutamic acid residues did not show such an abnormality. These results suggested a unique role of Glu-195 in the pH-dependent activity and proteolytic maturation. Moreover, Arg-142, Asp-145, and Asn-287 as well as previously identified Cys-126 were shown to be essential for the proteolytic activation. Since these residues were predicted to be catalytically important, the results strongly suggested that the proteolysis occurs through an autocatalytic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
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70
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Thabuis C, Tissot-Favre D, Bezelgues JB, Martin JC, Cruz-Hernandez C, Dionisi F, Destaillats F. Biological Functions and Metabolism of Oleoylethanolamide. Lipids 2008; 43:887-94. [DOI: 10.1007/s11745-008-3217-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2008] [Revised: 07/11/2008] [Accepted: 07/14/2008] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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71
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Ahn K, McKinney MK, Cravatt BF. Enzymatic pathways that regulate endocannabinoid signaling in the nervous system. Chem Rev 2008; 108:1687-707. [PMID: 18429637 DOI: 10.1021/cr0782067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 410] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kay Ahn
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut 06340, USA.
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72
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Alexander SPH, Kendall DA. The complications of promiscuity: endocannabinoid action and metabolism. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 152:602-23. [PMID: 17876303 PMCID: PMC2190010 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2007] [Revised: 08/15/2007] [Accepted: 08/16/2007] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we present our understanding of the action and metabolism of endocannabinoids and related endogenous molecules. It is clear that the interactions between the multiple endocannabinoid-like molecules (ECLs) are highly complex, both at the level of signal transduction and metabolism. Thus, ECLs are a group of ligands active at 7-transmembrane and nuclear receptors, as well as transmitter-gated and ion channels. ECLs and their metabolites can converge on common endpoints (either metabolic or signalling) through contradictory or reinforcing pathways. We highlight the complexity of the endocannabinoid system, based on the promiscuous nature of ECLs and their metabolites, as well as the synthetic modulators of the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P H Alexander
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 7LP, UK.
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73
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Abstract
Bioactive N-acylethanolamines, including the endocannabinoid anandamide and anti-inflammatory N-palmitoylethanolamine, are hydrolyzed to fatty acids and ethanolamine in animal tissues by the catalysis of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). We recently cloned cDNA of N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA), another enzyme catalyzing the same reaction, from human, rat, and mouse. NAAA reveals no sequence homology with FAAH and belongs to the choloylglycine hydrolase family. The most striking catalytic property of NAAA is pH optimum at 4.5-5, which is consistent with its immunocytochemical localization in lysosomes. In rat, NAAA is highly expressed in lung, spleen, thymus, and intestine. Notably, the expression level of NAAA is exceptionally high in rat alveolar macrophages. The primary structure of NAAA exhibits 33-35% amino acid identity to that of acid ceramidase, a lysosomal enzyme hydrolyzing ceramide to fatty acid and sphingosine. NAAA actually showed a low, but detectable ceramide-hydrolyzing activity, while acid ceramidase hydrolyzed N-lauroylethanolamine. Thus, NAAA is a novel lysosomal hydrolase, which is structurally and functionally similar to acid ceramidase. These results suggest a unique role of NAAA in the degradation of N-acylethanolamines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhito Tsuboi
- Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
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74
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Kilaru A, Blancaflor EB, Venables BJ, Tripathy S, Mysore KS, Chapman KD. TheN-Acylethanolamine-Mediated Regulatory Pathway in Plants. Chem Biodivers 2007; 4:1933-55. [PMID: 17712835 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.200790161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
While cannabinoids are secondary metabolites synthesized by just a few plant species, N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are distributed widely in the plant kingdom, and are recovered in measurable, bioactive quantities in many plant-derived products. NAEs in higher plants are ethanolamides of fatty acids with acyl-chain lenghts of C12-C(18) and zero to three C=C bonds. Generally, the most-abundant NAEs found in plants and vertebrates are similar, including NAE 16 : 0, 18 : 1, 18 : 2, and 18 : 3. Like in animal systems, NAEs are formed in plants from N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs), and they are hydrolyzed by an amidase to yield ethanolamine and free fatty acids (FFA). Recently, a homologue of the mammalian fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH-1) was identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and several other plant species. Overexpression of Arabidopsis FAAH (AtFAAH) resulted in plants that grew faster, but were more sensitive to biotic and abiotic insults, suggesting that the metabolism of NAEs in plants resides at the balance between growth and responses to environmental stresses. Similar to animal systems, exogenously applied NAEs have potent and varied effects on plant cells. Recent pharmacological approaches combined with molecular-genetic experiments revealed that NAEs may act in certain plant tissues via specific membrane-associated proteins or by interacting with phospholipase D-alpha, although other, direct targets for NAE action in plants are likely to be discovered. Polyunsaturated NAEs can be oxidized via the lipoxygenase pathway in plants, producing an array of oxylipin products that have received little attention so far. Overall, the conservation of NAE occurrence and metabolic machinery in plants, coupled with the profound physiological effects of elevating NAE content or perturbing endogenous NAE metabolism, suggest that an NAE-mediated regulatory pathway, sharing similarities with the mammalian endocannabinoid pathway, indeed exists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aruna Kilaru
- University of North Texas, Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Plant Lipid Research, P.O. Box 305220, Denton, TX 76203-5220, USA
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75
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Vandevoorde S, Lambert DM. The Multiple Pathways of Endocannabinoid Metabolism: A Zoom Out. Chem Biodivers 2007; 4:1858-81. [PMID: 17712823 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.200790156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Vandevoorde
- Unité de chimie pharmaceutique et radiopharmacie, UCL/CMFA 7340, Avenue E. Mounier, B-1200 Brussels.
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76
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An Overview on the Biochemistry of the Cannabinoid System. Mol Neurobiol 2007; 36:3-14. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-007-0015-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2007] [Accepted: 05/24/2007] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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77
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Doehring A, Geisslinger G, Lötsch J. Rapid screening for potentially relevant polymorphisms in the human fatty acid amide hydrolase gene using Pyrosequencing. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2007; 84:128-37. [PMID: 17991615 DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2007.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2007] [Revised: 06/15/2007] [Accepted: 06/17/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fatty acid amides such as the endocannabinoid anandamide serve as mammalian lipid transmitters in various physiological and pathophysiological processes including inflammation. They are rapidly degraded by the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Non-functional FAAH resulted in reduced inflammatory and nociceptive responses. Evidence suggests that human genetic FAAH variants modulate pain and addiction but their clinical role is still poorly known. We therefore developed reliable high-throughput screening assays for FAAH polymorphisms to facilitate research of their clinical role. MATERIALS AND METHODS Six simplex Pyrosequencing assays were developed for FAAH polymorphisms dbSNP rs932816, rs4141964, rs324420, rs324419, rs2295633 and rs12029329 spanning the whole FAAH gene. They are frequent or have been functionally associated. Assays were established and validated in DNA samples from 350 healthy unrelated Caucasians. RESULTS In all 350 DNA samples the six FAAH polymorphisms were identified correctly as verified by control samples obtained by conventional sequencing. The observed frequencies of homozygous, heterozygous and non-carriers of the minor alleles were in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Minor allelic frequencies were: rs932816G>A=0.26, rs4141964C>T=0.37, rs324420C>A=0.20, rs324419C>T=0.15, rs2295633G>A=0.35 and rs12029329G>C=0.25. SNPs were in high linkage except between rs324419 and rs12029329. One single haploblock was identified, spanning either the whole gene range or excluding rs12029329 in the 3' region, depending on the statistical procedure of haloblock assignment. CONCLUSION The presently developed Pyrosequencing assays allow for quick and reliable detection of FAAH genotypes and may facilitate investigations of FAAH genetic functional associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Doehring
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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78
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Wise LE, Cannavacciulo R, Cravatt BF, Martin BF, Lichtman AH. Evaluation of fatty acid amides in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model. Neuropharmacology 2007; 54:181-8. [PMID: 17675189 PMCID: PMC2200792 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2007.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2007] [Revised: 06/02/2007] [Accepted: 06/11/2007] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
While it has long been recognized that Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, and other cannabinoid receptor agonists possess anti-inflammatory properties, their well known CNS effects have dampened enthusiasm for therapeutic development. On the other hand, genetic deletion of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme responsible for degradation of fatty acid amides, including endogenous cannabinoid N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (anandamide; AEA), N-palmitoyl ethanolamine (PEA), N-oleoyl ethanolamine (OEA), and oleamide, also elicits anti-edema, but does not produce any apparent cannabinoid effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether exogenous administration of FAAs would augment the anti-inflammatory phenotype of FAAH (-/-) mice in the carrageenan model. Thus, we evaluated the effects of the FAAs AEA, PEA, OEA, and oleamide in wild-type and FAAH (-/-) mice. For comparison, we evaluated the anti-edema effects of THC, dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, diclofenac (DIC), a nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, in both genotypes. A final study determined if tolerance to the anti-edema effects of PEA occurs after repeated dosing. PEA, THC, DEX, DIC elicited significant decreases in carrageenan-induced paw edema in wild-type mice. In contrast OEA produced a less reliable anti-edema effect than these other drugs, and AEA and oleamide failed to produce any significant decreases in paw edema. Moreover, none of the agents evaluated augmented the anti-edema phenotype of FAAH (-/-) mice, suggesting that maximal anti-edema effects had already been established. PEA was the most effective FAA in preventing paw edema and its effects did not undergo tolerance. While the present findings do not support a role for AEA in preventing carrageenan-induced edema, PEA administration and FAAH blockade elicited anti-edema effects of an equivalent magnitude as produced by THC, DEX, and DIC in this assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Wise
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, PO Box 980613, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Roberta Cannavacciulo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, PO Box 980613, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Benjamin F. Cravatt
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Departments of Cell Biology and Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Billy F. Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, PO Box 980613, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Aron H. Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, PO Box 980613, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- *Corresponding Author Aron H. Lichtman, , Phone: 804.828.8480, Fax: 804.828.2117
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79
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Muccioli GG, Stella N. Microglia produce and hydrolyze palmitoylethanolamide. Neuropharmacology 2007; 54:16-22. [PMID: 17631917 PMCID: PMC2254322 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2007.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2007] [Revised: 05/04/2007] [Accepted: 05/22/2007] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Microglial cell activation and migration play an important role in neuroinflammation propagation. While it is known that the lipid transmitter palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) regulates microglial migration by interacting with a cannabinoid-like receptor, the production and inactivation of this lipid by microglia has never been addressed directly. Here we show that the mouse microglial cell line BV-2 produces and hydrolyzes PEA. The carbamate compound URB602 inhibits PEA hydrolysis in BV-2 cell homogenates and increases PEA levels in intact cells, whereas the FAAH inhibitor URB597 and serine-hydrolase inhibitor MAFP do not affect PEA levels in intact cells. This unique pharmacological profile of inhibitors on PEA hydrolysis suggests the involvement of a previously undescribed enzyme that degrades PEA. This enzyme expressed by microglia constitutes a promising target for controlling the propagation of neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio G. Muccioli
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280
| | - Nephi Stella
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280
- Corresponding author: Nephi Stella, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Health Sciences Center, BB-1538c, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, Telephone: (206) 221-5220 and Fax: (206) 543-9520,
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80
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Russo R, Loverme J, La Rana G, Compton TR, Parrott J, Duranti A, Tontini A, Mor M, Tarzia G, Calignano A, Piomelli D. The fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 (cyclohexylcarbamic acid 3'-carbamoylbiphenyl-3-yl ester) reduces neuropathic pain after oral administration in mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2007; 322:236-42. [PMID: 17412883 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.107.119941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is an intracellular serine hydrolase that catalyzes the cleavage of bioactive fatty acid ethanolamides, such as the endogenous cannabinoid agonist anandamide. Genetic deletion of the faah gene in mice elevates brain anandamide levels and amplifies the antinociceptive effects of this compound. Likewise, pharmacological blockade of FAAH activity reduces nocifensive behavior in animal models of acute and inflammatory pain. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the selective FAAH inhibitor URB597 (KDS-4103, cyclohexylcarbamic acid 3'-carbamoylbiphenyl-3-yl ester) in the mouse chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain. Oral administration of URB597 (1-50 mg/kg, once daily) for 4 days produced a dose-dependent reduction in nocifensive responses to thermal and mechanical stimuli, which was prevented by a single i.p. administration of the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist rimonabant (1 mg/kg). The antihyperalgesic effects of URB597 were accompanied by a reduction in plasma extravasation induced by CCI, which was prevented by rimonabant (1 mg/kg i.p.) and attenuated by the CB(2) antagonist SR144528 (1 mg/kg i.p.). Oral dosing with URB597 achieved significant, albeit transient, drug levels in plasma, inhibited brain FAAH activity, and elevated spinal cord anandamide content. The results provide new evidence for a role of the endocannabinoid system in pain modulation and reinforce the proposed role of FAAH as a target for analgesic drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Russo
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples, Italy
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81
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Tsuboi K, Zhao LY, Okamoto Y, Araki N, Ueno M, Sakamoto H, Ueda N. Predominant expression of lysosomal N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase in macrophages revealed by immunochemical studies. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2007; 1771:623-32. [PMID: 17462942 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2007.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2007] [Revised: 03/06/2007] [Accepted: 03/08/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Bioactive N-acylethanolamines, including anandamide (an endocannabinoid), N-palmitoylethanolamine (an anti-inflammatory substance), and N-oleoylethanolamine (an anorexic substance) are enzymatically hydrolyzed to fatty acids and ethanolamine. Fatty acid amide hydrolase plays a major role in this reaction. In addition, we cloned cDNA of an isozyme termed "N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA)" [K. Tsuboi, Y.-X. Sun, Y. Okamoto, N. Araki, T. Tonai, N. Ueda, Molecular characterization of N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase, a novel member of the choloylglycine hydrolase family with structural and functional similarity to acid ceramidase, J. Biol. Chem. 280 (2005) 11082-11092]. Previous biochemical analyses suggested the expression of NAAA in macrophage cells and various rat tissues including lung and brain. To clarify the physiological significance of NAAA, here we immunochemically studied NAAA for the first time. We developed an antibody specific for rat NAAA, and by Western blotting revealed that NAAA is glycosylated and subjected to specific proteolysis. In alveolar macrophages isolated from rat lung, NAAA was immunocytochemically localized in lysosomes. In the whole lung tissue, only alveolar macrophages were immunostained for NAAA. Conformably, the mRNA and protein levels and activity of NAAA in alveolar macrophages were much higher than those in the whole lung tissue. In brain, intraventricular macrophages were positively stained with anti-NAAA antibody, while microglia appeared to be negative. These results strongly suggested the importance of macrophages as an expression site of NAAA in rat tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhito Tsuboi
- Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
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82
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Jhaveri MD, Richardson D, Kendall DA, Barrett DA, Chapman V. Analgesic effects of fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibition in a rat model of neuropathic pain. J Neurosci 2007; 26:13318-27. [PMID: 17182782 PMCID: PMC6674985 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3326-06.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid-based medicines have therapeutic potential for the treatment of pain. Augmentation of levels of endocannabinoids with inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is analgesic in models of acute and inflammatory pain states. The aim of this study was to determine whether local inhibition of FAAH alters nociceptive responses of spinal neurons in the spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain. Electrophysiological studies were performed 14-18 d after spinal nerve ligation or sham surgery, and the effects of the FAAH inhibitor cyclohexylcarbamic acid 3-carbamoyl biphenyl-3-yl ester (URB597) on mechanically evoked responses of spinal neurons and levels of endocannabinoids were determined. Intraplantar URB597 (25 microg in 50 microl) significantly (p < 0.01) attenuated mechanically evoked responses of spinal neurons in sham-operated rats. Effects of URB597 were blocked by the cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1) antagonist AM251 [N-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-N-1-piperidinyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide] (30 microg in 50 microl) and the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone. URB597 treatment increased levels of anandamide, 2-arachidonyl glycerol, and oleoyl ethanolamide in the ipsilateral hindpaw of sham-operated rats. Intraplantar URB597 (25 microg in 50 microl) did not, however, alter mechanically evoked responses of spinal neurons in spinal nerve ligated (SNL) rats or hindpaw levels of endocannabinoids. Intraplantar injection of a higher dose of URB597 (100 microg in 50 microl) significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated evoked responses of spinal neurons in SNL rats but did not alter hindpaw levels of endocannabinoids. Spinal administration of URB597 attenuated evoked responses of spinal neurons and elevated levels of endocannabinoids in sham-operated and SNL rats. These data suggest that peripheral FAAH activity may be altered or that alternative pathways of metabolism have greater importance in SNL rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maulik D Jhaveri
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Medical School, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 2UH, United Kingdom.
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83
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Wei BQ, Mikkelsen TS, McKinney MK, Lander ES, Cravatt BF. A Second Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase with Variable Distribution among Placental Mammals. J Biol Chem 2006; 281:36569-78. [PMID: 17015445 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m606646200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid amides constitute a large and diverse class of lipid transmitters that includes the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide and the sleep-inducing substance oleamide. The magnitude and duration of fatty acid amide signaling are controlled by enzymatic hydrolysis in vivo. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity in mammals has been primarily attributed to a single integral membrane enzyme of the amidase signature (AS) family. Here, we report the functional proteomic discovery of a second membrane-associated AS enzyme in humans that displays FAAH activity. The gene that encodes this second FAAH enzyme was found in multiple primate genomes, marsupials, and more distantly related vertebrates, but, remarkably, not in a number of lower placental mammals, including mouse and rat. The two human FAAH enzymes, which share 20% sequence identity and are referred to hereafter as FAAH-1 and FAAH-2, hydrolyzed primary fatty acid amide substrates (e.g. oleamide) at equivalent rates, whereas FAAH-1 exhibited much greater activity with N-acyl ethanolamines (e.g. anandamide) and N-acyl taurines. Both enzymes were sensitive to the principal classes of FAAH inhibitors synthesized to date, including O-aryl carbamates and alpha-keto heterocycles. These data coupled with the overlapping, but distinct tissue distributions of FAAH-1 and FAAH-2 suggest that these proteins may collaborate to control fatty acid amide catabolism in primates. The apparent loss of the FAAH-2 gene in some lower mammals should be taken into consideration when extrapolating genetic or pharmacological findings on the fatty acid amide signaling system across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binqing Q Wei
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Departments of Cell Biology and Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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84
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Pacher P, Bátkai S, Kunos G. The endocannabinoid system as an emerging target of pharmacotherapy. Pharmacol Rev 2006; 58:389-462. [PMID: 16968947 PMCID: PMC2241751 DOI: 10.1124/pr.58.3.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1473] [Impact Index Per Article: 81.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent identification of cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous lipid ligands has triggered an exponential growth of studies exploring the endocannabinoid system and its regulatory functions in health and disease. Such studies have been greatly facilitated by the introduction of selective cannabinoid receptor antagonists and inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolism and transport, as well as mice deficient in cannabinoid receptors or the endocannabinoid-degrading enzyme fatty acid amidohydrolase. In the past decade, the endocannabinoid system has been implicated in a growing number of physiological functions, both in the central and peripheral nervous systems and in peripheral organs. More importantly, modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system turned out to hold therapeutic promise in a wide range of disparate diseases and pathological conditions, ranging from mood and anxiety disorders, movement disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, to cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, glaucoma, obesity/metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis, to name just a few. An impediment to the development of cannabinoid medications has been the socially unacceptable psychoactive properties of plant-derived or synthetic agonists, mediated by CB(1) receptors. However, this problem does not arise when the therapeutic aim is achieved by treatment with a CB(1) receptor antagonist, such as in obesity, and may also be absent when the action of endocannabinoids is enhanced indirectly through blocking their metabolism or transport. The use of selective CB(2) receptor agonists, which lack psychoactive properties, could represent another promising avenue for certain conditions. The abuse potential of plant-derived cannabinoids may also be limited through the use of preparations with controlled composition and the careful selection of dose and route of administration. The growing number of preclinical studies and clinical trials with compounds that modulate the endocannabinoid system will probably result in novel therapeutic approaches in a number of diseases for which current treatments do not fully address the patients' need. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview on the current state of knowledge of the endocannabinoid system as a target of pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pál Pacher
- Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 2S-24, Bethesda, MD 20892-9413, USA
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85
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LoVerme J, Guzmán M, Gaetani S, Piomelli D. Cold exposure stimulates synthesis of the bioactive lipid oleoylethanolamide in rat adipose tissue. J Biol Chem 2006; 281:22815-8. [PMID: 16785227 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m604751200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) is an endogenous lipid mediator that inhibits feeding and stimulates lipolysis by activating the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activating receptor-alpha. Little is known about the physiological regulation of this compound outside of the gastrointestinal tract, where its production is regulated by feeding. Here we show that cold exposure increases OEA levels in rat white adipose tissue but not in liver or intestine. This change is accompanied by parallel elevations in the activity of N-acyltransferase, a key enzyme responsible for OEA synthesis, without concomitant changes in fatty acid amide hydrolase, an enzyme responsible for OEA degradation. Moreover, cold stimulates the production of two species of N-oleoylphosphatidylethanolamine OEA precursors. The changes in OEA biosynthesis are reversed by pretreatment with the beta-receptor antagonist propranolol, suggesting a role for beta-adrenoreceptors in this response. In agreement with these findings, the beta-agonists noradrenaline and isoproterenol stimulate OEA production in isolated adipocytes, an effect that is mimicked by the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin. Collectively, these results identify cold exposure as a natural stimulus for OEA formation in white fat and suggest a role for the sympathetic nervous system in regulating OEA biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse LoVerme
- Center for Drug Discovery, and Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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86
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Mackie K, Stella N. Cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids: evidence for new players. AAPS JOURNAL 2006; 8:E298-306. [PMID: 16796380 PMCID: PMC3231556 DOI: 10.1007/bf02854900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
It is now well established that the psychoactive effects of Cannabis sativa are primarily mediated through neuronal CB1 receptors, while its therapeutic immune properties are primarily mediated through CB2 receptors. Two endocannabinoids, arachidonoylethanolamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, have been identified, their action on CB1 and CB2 thoroughly characterized, and their production and inactivation elucidated. However, many significant exceptions to these rules exist. Here we review the evidence suggesting that cannabinoids can modulate synaptic transmission, the cardiovascular system, and the immune system through receptors distinct from CB1 and CB2, and that an additional "independent" endocannabinoid signaling system that involves palmitoylethanolamide may exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Mackie
- />Departments of Anesthesiology and Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Nephi Stella
- />Department of Pharmacology, 357280, University of Washington, 1959 Pacific Ave N, 98195-7280 Seattle, WA
- />Department of Psychiatry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- />Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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