Cross-validated stable-isotope dilution GC-MS and LC-MS/MS assays for monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) activity by measuring arachidonic acid released from the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol

Advances in targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods for endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamine quantification in biological matrices: A systematic review

Liquid chromatography paired with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the gold standard in measurement of endocannabinoid concentrations in biomatrices. We conducted a systematic review of literature to identify advances in targeted LC-MS/MS methods in the period 2017-2024. We found that LC-MS/MS methods for endocannabinoid quantification are relatively consistent both across time and across biomatrices. Recent advances have primarily been in three areas: (1) sample preparation techniques, specific to the chosen biomatrix; (2) the range of biomatrices tested, recently favoring blood matrices; and (3) the breadth of endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid-like analytes incorporated into assays. This review provides a summary of the recent literature and a guide for researchers looking to establish the best methods for quantifying endocannabinoids in a range of biomatrices.

Assay of Monoacylglycerol Lipase Activity

Monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL/MAGL/MGLL) is a serine hydrolase involved in the biological deactivation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG). 2-AG is the most abundant endogenous lipid agonists for cannabinoid receptors in the brain and elsewhere in the body. In the central nervous system (CNS), MGL is localized to presynaptic nerve terminals of both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, where it controls the regulatory actions of 2-AG on synaptic transmission and plasticity. In this chapter, we describe an in vitro method to assess MGL activity by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based quantitation of its reaction product. The method may be used to determine basal or altered MGL activity in cells or tissues after pharmacological, genetic, or biological interventions. In addition, the assay can be used for MGL inhibitor screening using purified recombinant enzyme or MGL-overexpressing cells.

Molecular Alterations of the Endocannabinoid System in Psychiatric Disorders

The therapeutic benefits of the current medications for patients with psychiatric disorders contrast with a great variety of adverse effects. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) components have gained high interest as potential new targets for treating psychiatry diseases because of their neuromodulator role, which is essential to understanding the regulation of many brain functions. This article reviewed the molecular alterations in ECS occurring in different psychiatric conditions. The methods used to identify alterations in the ECS were also described. We used a translational approach. The animal models reproducing some behavioral and/or neurochemical aspects of psychiatric disorders and the molecular alterations in clinical studies in post-mortem brain tissue or peripheral tissues were analyzed. This article reviewed the most relevant ECS changes in prevalent psychiatric diseases such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism, attentional deficit, eating disorders (ED), and addiction. The review concludes that clinical research studies are urgently needed for two different purposes: (1) To identify alterations of the ECS components potentially useful as new biomarkers relating to a specific disease or condition, and (2) to design new therapeutic targets based on the specific alterations found to improve the pharmacological treatment in psychiatry.