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Sharkey KA, Mawe GM. The enteric nervous system. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1487-1564. [PMID: 36521049 PMCID: PMC9970663 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00018.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Of all the organ systems in the body, the gastrointestinal tract is the most complicated in terms of the numbers of structures involved, each with different functions, and the numbers and types of signaling molecules utilized. The digestion of food and absorption of nutrients, electrolytes, and water occurs in a hostile luminal environment that contains a large and diverse microbiota. At the core of regulatory control of the digestive and defensive functions of the gastrointestinal tract is the enteric nervous system (ENS), a complex system of neurons and glia in the gut wall. In this review, we discuss 1) the intrinsic neural control of gut functions involved in digestion and 2) how the ENS interacts with the immune system, gut microbiota, and epithelium to maintain mucosal defense and barrier function. We highlight developments that have revolutionized our understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of enteric neural control. These include a new understanding of the molecular architecture of the ENS, the organization and function of enteric motor circuits, and the roles of enteric glia. We explore the transduction of luminal stimuli by enteroendocrine cells, the regulation of intestinal barrier function by enteric neurons and glia, local immune control by the ENS, and the role of the gut microbiota in regulating the structure and function of the ENS. Multifunctional enteric neurons work together with enteric glial cells, macrophages, interstitial cells, and enteroendocrine cells integrating an array of signals to initiate outputs that are precisely regulated in space and time to control digestion and intestinal homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gary M Mawe
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
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2
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Brierley SM, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Sarnelli G, Sharkey KA, Storr M, Tack J. Targeting the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:5-25. [PMID: 36168049 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00682-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The management of visceral pain in patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction, notably irritable bowel syndrome, presents a considerable clinical challenge, with few available treatment options. Patients are increasingly using cannabis and cannabinoids to control abdominal pain. Cannabis acts on receptors of the endocannabinoid system, an endogenous system of lipid mediators that regulates gastrointestinal function and pain processing pathways in health and disease. The endocannabinoid system represents a logical molecular therapeutic target for the treatment of pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Here, we review the physiological and pathophysiological functions of the endocannabinoid system with a focus on the peripheral and central regulation of gastrointestinal function and visceral nociception. We address the use of cannabinoids in pain management, comparing them to other treatment modalities, including opioids and neuromodulators. Finally, we discuss emerging therapeutic candidates targeting the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of pain in irritable bowel syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart M Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Giovanni Sarnelli
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. .,Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. .,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Martin Storr
- Department of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.,Zentrum für Endoskopie, Starnberg, Germany
| | - Jan Tack
- Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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3
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Xia M, Huang D, Tong Y, Lin J. Pearl powder reduces sleep disturbance stress response through regulating proteomics in a rat model of sleep deprivation. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:4956-4966. [PMID: 32220128 PMCID: PMC7205811 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims This study aimed to explore whether pearl could help prevent cognitional morbidity and improve the metabolic processes of hippocampus. Methods Rats were divided into group of control (CTL), sleep deprivation (SD) and pearl powder (PP). The sleeplessness was introduced to all rats except control. Before and after administration with vehicle or pearl powder, cognition was evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM). The protein expression in hippocampus among all groups was examined using iTRAQ‐based global proteomic analysis. Results Morris water maze tests revealed improvements of insomnia‐induced cognitive deficit in both PP‐ and ES‐treated rats, as compared to SD rats. However, proteomic analysis indicates that the pharmacological impact on gene expression of these two medicines is quite different: pearl is more capable of correcting aberrant gene expression caused by SD than estazolam. Therefore, pearl is more suitable for treatment of insomnia. These data, together with protein‐protein interaction analysis, indicate that several pathways, affected by sleep deprivation, may be rescued by pearl powder: retrograde endocannabinoid signalling pathway, and the protein interaction or network enrich in oxidative phosphorylation Parkinson's disease and Huntington disease, etc Conclusions Sleep deprivation can mimic cognition decline caused by insomnia with altered protein expression in the hippocampus; such behavioural and pathological changes can be significantly ameliorated by pearl powder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xia
- School of Basic Medicine, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
| | - Delun Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
| | - Yuangming Tong
- Information Center, Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, Nanning, China
| | - Jiang Lin
- School of Basic Medicine, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
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Ruiz de Azua I, Lutz B. Multiple endocannabinoid-mediated mechanisms in the regulation of energy homeostasis in brain and peripheral tissues. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:1341-1363. [PMID: 30599065 PMCID: PMC11105297 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2994-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is widely expressed in many central and peripheral tissues, and is involved in a plethora of physiological processes. Among these, activity of the eCB system promotes energy intake and storage, which, however, under pathophysiological conditions, can favour the development of obesity and obesity-related disorders. It is proposed that eCB signalling is evolutionary beneficial for survival under periods of scarce food resources. Remarkably, eCB signalling is increased both in hunger and in overnutrition conditions, such as obesity and type-2 diabetes. This apparent paradox suggests a role of the eCB system both at initiation and at clinical endpoint of obesity. This review will focus on recent findings about the role of the eCB system controlling whole-body metabolism in mice that are genetically modified selectively in different cell types. The current data in fact support the notion that eCB signalling is not only engaged in the development but also in the maintenance of obesity, whereby specific cell types in central and peripheral tissues are key sites in regulating the entire body's energy homeostasis.
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MESH Headings
- Adipose Tissue/metabolism
- Animals
- Brain/metabolism
- Endocannabinoids/metabolism
- Energy Metabolism
- Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
- Obesity/metabolism
- Obesity/pathology
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Inigo Ruiz de Azua
- German Resilience Center (DRZ) and Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Beat Lutz
- German Resilience Center (DRZ) and Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
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Lionnet A, Wade MA, Corbillé AG, Prigent A, Paillusson S, Tasselli M, Gonzales J, Durieu E, Rolli-Derkinderen M, Coron E, Duchalais E, Neunlist M, Perkinton MS, Hanger DP, Noble W, Derkinderen P. Characterisation of tau in the human and rodent enteric nervous system under physiological conditions and in tauopathy. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018; 6:65. [PMID: 30037345 PMCID: PMC6055332 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0568-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is normally a highly soluble phosphoprotein found predominantly in neurons. Six different isoforms of tau are expressed in the adult human CNS. Under pathological conditions, phosphorylated tau aggregates are a defining feature of neurodegenerative disorders called tauopathies. Recent findings have suggested a potential role of the gut-brain axis in CNS homeostasis, and therefore we set out to examine the isoform profile and phosphorylation state of tau in the enteric nervous system (ENS) under physiological conditions and in tauopathies. Surgical specimens of human colon from controls, Parkinson's disease (PD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients were analyzed by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry using a panel of anti-tau antibodies. We found that adult human ENS primarily expresses two tau isoforms, localized in the cell bodies and neuronal processes. We did not observe any difference in the enteric tau isoform profile and phosphorylation state between PSP, PD and control subjects. The htau mouse model of tauopathy also expressed two main isoforms of human tau in the ENS, and there were no apparent differences in ENS tau localization or phosphorylation between wild-type and htau mice. Tau in both human and mouse ENS was found to be phosphorylated but poorly susceptible to dephosphorylation with lambda phosphatase. To investigate ENS tau phosphorylation further, primary cultures from rat enteric neurons, which express four isoforms of tau, were pharmacologically manipulated to show that ENS tau phosphorylation state can be regulated, at least in vitro. Our study is the first to characterize tau in the rodent and human ENS. As a whole, our findings provide a basis to unravel the functions of tau in the ENS and to further investigate the possibility of pathological changes in enteric neuropathies and tauopathies.
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Ligresti A, De Petrocellis L, Di Marzo V. From Phytocannabinoids to Cannabinoid Receptors and Endocannabinoids: Pleiotropic Physiological and Pathological Roles Through Complex Pharmacology. Physiol Rev 2016; 96:1593-659. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00002.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apart from having been used and misused for at least four millennia for, among others, recreational and medicinal purposes, the cannabis plant and its most peculiar chemical components, the plant cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), have the merit to have led humanity to discover one of the most intriguing and pleiotropic endogenous signaling systems, the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This review article aims to describe and critically discuss, in the most comprehensive possible manner, the multifaceted aspects of 1) the pharmacology and potential impact on mammalian physiology of all major phytocannabinoids, and not only of the most famous one Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and 2) the adaptive pro-homeostatic physiological, or maladaptive pathological, roles of the ECS in mammalian cells, tissues, and organs. In doing so, we have respected the chronological order of the milestones of the millennial route from medicinal/recreational cannabis to the ECS and beyond, as it is now clear that some of the early steps in this long path, which were originally neglected, are becoming important again. The emerging picture is rather complex, but still supports the belief that more important discoveries on human physiology, and new therapies, might come in the future from new knowledge in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Ligresti
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Luciano De Petrocellis
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
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Abstract
Cannabis has been used medicinally for centuries to treat a variety of disorders, including those associated with the gastrointestinal tract. The discovery of our bodies' own "cannabis-like molecules" and associated receptors and metabolic machinery - collectively called the endocannabinoid system - enabled investigations into the physiological relevance for the system, and provided the field with evidence of a critical function for this endogenous signaling pathway in health and disease. Recent investigations yield insight into a significant participation for the endocannabinoid system in the normal physiology of gastrointestinal function, and its possible dysfunction in gastrointestinal pathology. Many gaps, however, remain in our understanding of the precise neural and molecular mechanisms across tissue departments that are under the regulatory control of the endocannabinoid system. This review highlights research that reveals an important - and at times surprising - role for the endocannabinoid system in the control of a variety of gastrointestinal functions, including motility, gut-brain mediated fat intake and hunger signaling, inflammation and gut permeability, and dynamic interactions with gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas V. DiPatrizio
- Address correspondence to: Nicholas V. DiPatrizio, PhD, Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, E-mail:
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Trautmann SM, Sharkey KA. The Endocannabinoid System and Its Role in Regulating the Intrinsic Neural Circuitry of the Gastrointestinal Tract. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2015; 125:85-126. [PMID: 26638765 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are important neuromodulators in the central nervous system. They regulate central transmission through pre- and postsynaptic actions on neurons and indirectly through effects on glial cells. Cannabinoids (CBs) also regulate neurotransmission in the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The ENS consists of intrinsic primary afferent neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons arranged in two ganglionated plexuses which control all the functions of the gut. Increasing evidence suggests that endocannabinoids are potent neuromodulators in the ENS. In this review, we will highlight key observations on the localization of CB receptors and molecules involved in the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids in the ENS. We will discuss endocannabinoid signaling mechanisms, endocannabinoid tone and concepts of CB receptor metaplasticity in the ENS. We will also touch on some examples of enteric neural signaling in relation neuromuscular, secretomotor, and enteroendocrine transmission in the ENS. Finally, we will briefly discuss some key future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Trautmann
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Bashashati M, Nasser Y, Keenan CM, Ho W, Piscitelli F, Nalli M, Mackie K, Storr MA, Di Marzo V, Sharkey KA. Inhibiting endocannabinoid biosynthesis: a novel approach to the treatment of constipation. Br J Pharmacol 2015; 172:3099-111. [PMID: 25684407 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endocannabinoids are a family of lipid mediators involved in the regulation of gastrointestinal (GI) motility. The expression, localization and function of their biosynthetic enzymes in the GI tract are not well understood. Here, we examined the expression, localization and function of the enzyme diacylglycerol lipase-α (DAGLα), which is involved in biosynthesis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Cannabinoid CB1 receptor-deficient, wild-type control and C3H/HeJ mice, a genetically constipated strain, were used. The distribution of DAGLα in the enteric nervous system was examined by immunohistochemistry. Effects of the DAGL inhibitors, orlistat and OMDM-188 on pharmacologically induced GI hypomotility were assessed by measuring intestinal contractility in vitro and whole gut transit or faecal output in vivo. Endocannabinoid levels were measured by mass spectrometry. KEY RESULTS DAGLα was expressed throughout the GI tract. In the intestine, unlike DAGLβ, DAGLα immunoreactivity was prominently expressed in the enteric nervous system. In the myenteric plexus, it was colocalized with the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in cholinergic nerves. In normal mice, inhibiting DAGL reversed both pharmacologically reduced intestinal contractility and pharmacologically prolonged whole gut transit. Moreover, inhibiting DAGL normalized faecal output in constipated C3H/HeJ mice. In colons incubated with scopolamine, 2-AG was elevated while inhibiting DAGL normalized 2-AG levels. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS DAGLα was expressed in the enteric nervous system of mice and its inhibition reversed slowed GI motility, intestinal contractility and constipation through 2-AG and CB1 receptor-mediated mechanisms. Our data suggest that DAGLα inhibitors may be promising candidates for the treatment of constipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bashashati
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Y Nasser
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - C M Keenan
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - W Ho
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - F Piscitelli
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - M Nalli
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - K Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - M A Storr
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,II Medical Department, Klinikum Groshadern, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - V Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - K A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Maccarrone M, Bab I, Bíró T, Cabral GA, Dey SK, Di Marzo V, Konje JC, Kunos G, Mechoulam R, Pacher P, Sharkey KA, Zimmer A. Endocannabinoid signaling at the periphery: 50 years after THC. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2015; 36:277-96. [PMID: 25796370 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 434] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In 1964, the psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis sativa, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), was isolated. Nearly 30 years later the endogenous counterparts of THC, collectively termed endocannabinoids (eCBs), were discovered: N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) (AEA) in 1992 and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in 1995. Since then, considerable research has shed light on the impact of eCBs on human health and disease, identifying an ensemble of proteins that bind, synthesize, and degrade them and that together form the eCB system (ECS). eCBs control basic biological processes including cell choice between survival and death and progenitor/stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Unsurprisingly, in the past two decades eCBs have been recognized as key mediators of several aspects of human pathophysiology and thus have emerged to be among the most widespread and versatile signaling molecules ever discovered. Here some of the pioneers of this research field review the state of the art of critical eCB functions in peripheral organs. Our community effort is aimed at establishing consensus views on the relevance of the peripheral ECS for human health and disease pathogenesis, as well as highlighting emerging challenges and therapeutic hopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Maccarrone
- Center of Integrated Research, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy; Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Itai Bab
- Bone Laboratory, Hebrew University Medical Faculty, Jerusalem, Israel; Institute for Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Faculty, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tamás Bíró
- DE-MTA 'Lendület' Cellular Physiology Research Group, Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Guy A Cabral
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Sudhansu K Dey
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Council of Research, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Justin C Konje
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sidra Medical and Research Center, Doha, Qatar
| | - George Kunos
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Faculty, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Pal Pacher
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andreas Zimmer
- Institute of Molecular Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Abstract
Fat is a vital macronutrient, and its intake is closely monitored by an array of molecular sensors distributed throughout the alimentary canal. In the mouth, dietary fat constituents such as mono- and diunsaturated fatty acids give rise to taste signals that stimulate food intake, in part by enhancing the production of lipid-derived endocannabinoid messengers in the gut. As fat-containing chyme enters the small intestine, it causes the formation of anorexic lipid mediators, such as oleoylethanolamide, which promote satiety. These anatomically and functionally distinct responses may contribute to the homeostatic control and, possibly, the pathological dysregulation of food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology
- Department of Pharmacology, and
- Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
- Drug Discovery and Development, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
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Keenan CM, Storr MA, Thakur GA, Wood JT, Wager-Miller J, Straiker A, Eno MR, Nikas SP, Bashashati M, Hu H, Mackie K, Makriyannis A, Sharkey KA. AM841, a covalent cannabinoid ligand, powerfully slows gastrointestinal motility in normal and stressed mice in a peripherally restricted manner. Br J Pharmacol 2015; 172:2406-18. [PMID: 25572435 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cannabinoid (CB) ligands have been demonstrated to have utility as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of pain, metabolic conditions and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. However, many of these ligands are centrally active, which limits their usefulness. Here, we examine a unique novel covalent CB receptor ligand, AM841, to assess its potential for use in physiological and pathophysiological in vivo studies. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The covalent nature of AM841 was determined in vitro using electrophysiological and receptor internalization studies on isolated cultured hippocampal neurons. Mouse models were used for behavioural analysis of analgesia, hypothermia and hypolocomotion. The motility of the small and large intestine was assessed in vivo under normal conditions and after acute stress. The brain penetration of AM841 was also determined. KEY RESULTS AM841 behaved as an irreversible CB1 receptor agonist in vitro. AM841 potently reduced GI motility through an action on CB1 receptors in the small and large intestine under physiological conditions. AM841 was even more potent under conditions of acute stress and was shown to normalize accelerated GI motility under these conditions. This compound behaved as a peripherally restricted ligand, showing very little brain penetration and no characteristic centrally mediated CB1 receptor-mediated effects (analgesia, hypothermia or hypolocomotion). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS AM841, a novel peripherally restricted covalent CB1 receptor ligand that was shown to be remarkably potent, represents a new class of potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of functional GI disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Keenan
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Mutafova-Yambolieva VN, Durnin L. The purinergic neurotransmitter revisited: a single substance or multiple players? Pharmacol Ther 2014; 144:162-91. [PMID: 24887688 PMCID: PMC4185222 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The past half century has witnessed tremendous advances in our understanding of extracellular purinergic signaling pathways. Purinergic neurotransmission, in particular, has emerged as a key contributor in the efficient control mechanisms in the nervous system. The identity of the purine neurotransmitter, however, remains controversial. Identifying it is difficult because purines are present in all cell types, have a large variety of cell sources, and are released via numerous pathways. Moreover, studies on purinergic neurotransmission have relied heavily on indirect measurements of integrated postjunctional responses that do not provide direct information for neurotransmitter identity. This paper discusses experimental support for adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) as a neurotransmitter and recent evidence for possible contribution of other purines, in addition to or instead of ATP, in chemical neurotransmission in the peripheral, enteric and central nervous systems. Sites of release and action of purines in model systems such as vas deferens, blood vessels, urinary bladder and chromaffin cells are discussed. This is preceded by a brief discussion of studies demonstrating storage of purines in synaptic vesicles. We examine recent evidence for cell type targets (e.g., smooth muscle cells, interstitial cells, neurons and glia) for purine neurotransmitters in different systems. This is followed by brief discussion of mechanisms of terminating the action of purine neurotransmitters, including extracellular nucleotide hydrolysis and possible salvage and reuptake in the cell. The significance of direct neurotransmitter release measurements is highlighted. Possibilities for involvement of multiple purines (e.g., ATP, ADP, NAD(+), ADP-ribose, adenosine, and diadenosine polyphosphates) in neurotransmission are considered throughout.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leonie Durnin
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, United States
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Lowette K, Tack J, Vanden Berghe P. Role of corticosterone in the murine enteric nervous system during fasting. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2014; 307:G905-13. [PMID: 25214399 PMCID: PMC4216992 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00233.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Food intake depends on a tightly controlled interplay of appetite hormones and the enteric (ENS) and central nervous system. Corticosterone (CORT) levels, which are mainly studied with regard to stress, are also increased during fasting. However, the role of CORT in the ENS remains elusive. Therefore, we investigated whether CORT modulates activity of enteric neurons and whether its intracellular regulator, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) type 1, is present in the myenteric plexus, using immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. Effects of CORT on neuronal activity and expression of neuronal markers in the myenteric plexus were assessed via Ca(2+) imaging and RT-qPCR, respectively, whereas modulations in mixing behavior were measured by video imaging. 11β-HSD-1 was present in enteric neurons along the gastrointestinal tract, and its expression increased after fasting (control: 0.58 ± 0.09 vs. fasted: 1.5 ± 0.23; P < 0.05). CORT incubation significantly reduced neuronal Ca(2+) transients in tissues stimulated by electrical pulses (control: 1.31 ± 0.01 vs. CORT: 1.27 ± 0.01, P < 0.01) and in cultured neurons (control: 1.85 ± 0.03 vs. CORT: 1.76 ± 0.03, P < 0.05). CORT decreased small intestinal mixing (P < 0.05). Incubation of muscle myenteric plexus preparations with CORT induced an increase in cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1, P < 0.05) and synaptobrevin (P < 0.05) but not in 11β-HSD-1 mRNA expression. In addition, fasting induced significant elevations in synaptobrevin (P < 0.05) and CB1 (P < 0.01) mRNA expression. In conclusion, we suggest CORT to be a downstream factor in a feeding state-related pathway that modulates important proteins in the fine tuning of enteric neurotransmission and gastrointestinal motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrien Lowette
- 1Laboratory for Enteric NeuroScience, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; and ,2Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Tack
- 2Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Vanden Berghe
- Laboratory for Enteric NeuroScience, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; and Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Zhang SC, Wang WL, Su PJ, Jiang KL, Yuan ZW. Decreased enteric fatty acid amide hydrolase activity is associated with colonic inertia in slow transit constipation. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2014; 29:276-83. [PMID: 23926887 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.12346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Constipation is one of the most common chronic digestive complaints. Gastrointestinal transit studies have divided it into three patterns: normal transit, slow transit constipation (STC), and outlet obstruction. It has been demonstrated that STC patients respond poorly to standard therapies, and the etiology of STC remains poorly understood. Animal studies have also shown that fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) controls intestinal motility through its putative receptors or non-receptor-mediated pathways. However, the role of FAAH in STC has not been elaborated. METHODS A case series was carried out on thirty-two STC patients fulfilling the Rome II criteria and on 24 controls. All of the subjects underwent a laparotomy in Shengjing Hospital. Colonic specimens were obtained and used for FAAH expression analysis, enzyme activity assay, and cannabinoid detection. RESULTS FAAH immunoreactivity occurred in the enteric neurons and in the surface epithelial and glands. The expression level and enzyme activity of FAAH in the STC group were both significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The amounts of anandamide, 2-arachidonylglycerol, and palmitoylethanolamide, which are negatively correlated with enzyme activity, were significantly higher in the constipation group than that in the control group. In the STC group, cannabinoid receptor type 1 immunoreactivity occurred predominantly in the submucosal and myenteric fibers that were obviously strong and wave-like in their appearance. Enteric ganglions decreased or disappeared. CONCLUSIONS The tone of the enteric cannabinoids system is disturbed in STC, and the decreased enteric FAAH activity contributes to colonic inertia in STC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Cheng Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Major Laboratory of Chinese Health Ministry for Congenital Malformations, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Füllhase C, Campeau L, Sibaev A, Storr M, Hennenberg M, Gratzke C, Stief C, Hedlund P, Andersson KE. Bladder function in a cannabinoid receptor type 1 knockout mouse. BJU Int 2013; 113:144-51. [DOI: 10.1111/bju.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudius Füllhase
- Department of Urology; Klinikum Großhadern; Munich Germany
- Walter-Brendel-Center for Experimental Medicine; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Munich Germany
| | - Lysanne Campeau
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine; Wake Forest University; Winston-Salem NC USA
| | - Andrei Sibaev
- Walter-Brendel-Center for Experimental Medicine; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Munich Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine; Klinikum Großhadern; Munich Germany
| | - Martin Storr
- Department of Internal Medicine; Klinikum Großhadern; Munich Germany
| | | | | | | | - Petter Hedlund
- Urological Research Institute; San Raffele University; Milan Italy
| | - Karl-Erik Andersson
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine; Wake Forest University; Winston-Salem NC USA
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Moynes DM, Lucas GH, Beyak MJ, Lomax AE. Effects of inflammation on the innervation of the colon. Toxicol Pathol 2013; 42:111-7. [PMID: 24159054 DOI: 10.1177/0192623313505929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease lead to altered gastrointestinal (GI) function as a consequence of the effects of inflammation on the tissues that comprise the GI tract. Among these tissues are several types of neurons that detect the state of the GI tract, transmit pain, and regulate functions such as motility, secretion, and blood flow. This review article describes the structure and function of the enteric nervous system, which is embedded within the gut wall, the sympathetic motor innervation of the colon and the extrinsic afferent innervation of the colon, and considers the evidence that colitis alters these important sensory and motor systems. These alterations may contribute to the pain and altered bowel habits that accompany IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek M Moynes
- 1Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Unit, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Duncan M, Galic MA, Wang A, Chambers AP, McCafferty DM, McKay DM, Sharkey KA, Pittman QJ. Cannabinoid 1 receptors are critical for the innate immune response to TLR4 stimulation. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2013; 305:R224-31. [PMID: 23739343 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00104.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sickness behaviors are host defense adaptations that arise from integrated autonomic outputs in response to activation of the innate immune system. These behaviors include fever, anorexia, and hyperalgesia intended to promote survival of the host when encountering pathogens. Cannabinoid (CB) receptor activation can induce hypothermia and attenuate LPS-evoked fever. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of CB1 receptors in the LPS-evoked febrile response. CB1 receptor-deficient (CB1(-/-)) mice did not display LPS-evoked fever; likewise, pharmacological blockade of CB1 receptors in wild-type mice blocked LPS-evoked fever. This unresponsiveness is not limited to thermogenesis, as the animals were not hyperalgesic after LPS administration. A Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 agonist and viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid evoked a robust fever in CB1(-/-) mice, suggesting TLR3-mediated responses are functional. LPS-evoked c-Fos activation in areas of the brain associated with the febrile response was evident in wild-type mice but not in CB1(-/-) mice. Liver and spleen TLR4 mRNA were significantly lower in CB1(-/-) mice compared with wild-type mice, and peritoneal macrophages from CB1(-/-) mice did not release proinflammatory cytokines in response to LPS. These data indicate that CB1 receptors play a critical role in LPS-induced febrile responses through inhibiting TLR4-mediated cytokine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marnie Duncan
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Roberts JA, Lukewich MK, Sharkey KA, Furness JB, Mawe GM, Lomax AE. The roles of purinergic signaling during gastrointestinal inflammation. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2012; 12:659-66. [PMID: 23063457 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2012.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular purines play important roles as neurotransmitters and paracrine mediators in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Inflammation of the GI tract causes marked changes in the release and extracellular catabolism of purines, and can modulate purinoceptor expression and/or signaling. The functional consequences of this include suppression of the purinergic component of inhibitory neuromuscular and neurovascular transmission, increased release of purines from immune and epithelial cells, loss of enteric neurons to damage through P2X(7) purinoceptors, and enhanced activation of pain fibres. The purinergic system represents an important target for drug therapies that may improve GI inflammation and its consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane A Roberts
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
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Abalo R, Vera G, López-Pérez AE, Martínez-Villaluenga M, Martín-Fontelles MI. The Gastrointestinal Pharmacology of Cannabinoids: Focus on Motility. Pharmacology 2012; 90:1-10. [DOI: 10.1159/000339072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2012] [Accepted: 03/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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