scholarly journals Neurobiology of cannabinoid receptor signaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-222
Keyword(s):  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Receptor Signaling ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽  
As Stress

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a highly versatile signaling system within the nervous system. Despite its widespread localization, its functions within the context of distinct neural processes are very well discernable and specific. This is remarkable, and the question remains as to how such specificity is achieved. One key player in the ECS is the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1), a G protein–coupled receptor characterized by the complexity of its cell-specific expression, cellular and subcellular localization, and its adaptable regulation of intracellular signaling cascades. CB1 receptors are involved in different synaptic and cellular plasticity processes and in the brain’s bioenergetics in a context-specific manner. CB2 receptors are also important in several processes in neurons, glial cells, and immune cells of the brain. As polymorphisms in ECS components, as well as external impacts such as stress and metabolic challenges, can both lead to dysregulated ECS activity and subsequently to possible neuropsychiatric disorders, pharmacological intervention targeting the ECS is a promising therapeutic approach. Understanding the neurobiology of cannabinoid receptor signaling in depth will aid optimal design of therapeutic interventions, minimizing unwanted side effects.

scholarly journals Cannabinoid signaling in health and disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Lu ◽  
Hope D. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Cannabis Sativa ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Receptor Signaling ◽  
Safety And Efficacy ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Endogenous Cannabinoid ◽  
Umbrella Group

Cannabis sativa has long been used for medicinal purposes. To improve safety and efficacy, compounds from C. sativa were purified or synthesized and named under an umbrella group as cannabinoids. Currently, several cannabinoids may be prescribed in Canada for a variety of indications such as nausea and pain. More recently, an increasing number of reports suggest other salutary effects associated with endogenous cannabinoid signaling including cardioprotection. The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids is therefore extended; however, evidence is limited and mechanisms remain unclear. In addition, the use of cannabinoids clinically has been hindered due to pronounced psychoactive side effects. This review provides an overview on the endocannabinoid system, including known physiological roles, and conditions in which cannabinoid receptor signaling has been implicated.

scholarly journals Dichotomic Hippocampal Transcriptome After Glutamatergic vs. GABAergic Deletion of the Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Pascual Cuadrado ◽  
Anna Wierczeiko ◽  
Charlotte Hewel ◽  
Susanne Gerber ◽  
Beat Lutz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Networks ◽  
Dynamic Equilibrium ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Transcript Level ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Neuronal Morphology ◽  
Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Post Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Mouse Lines

Brain homeostasis is the dynamic equilibrium whereby physiological parameters are kept actively within a specific range. The homeostatic range is not fixed and may change throughout the individual's lifespan, or may be transiently modified in the presence of severe perturbations. The endocannabinoid system has emerged as a safeguard of homeostasis, e.g., it modulates neurotransmission and protects neurons from prolonged or excessively strong activation. We used genetically engineered mouse lines that lack the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1) either in dorsal telencephalic glutamatergic or in forebrain GABAergic neurons to create new allostatic states, resulting from alterations in the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance. Previous studies with these two mouse lines have shown dichotomic results in the context of behavior, neuronal morphology, and electrophysiology. Thus, we aimed at analyzing the transcriptomic profile of the hippocampal CA region from these mice in the basal condition and after a mild behavioral stimulation (open field). Our results provide insights into the gene networks that compensate chronic E/I imbalances. Among these, there are differentially expressed genes involved in neuronal and synaptic functions, synaptic plasticity, and the regulation of behavior. Interestingly, some of these genes, e.g., Rab3b, Crhbp, and Kcnn2, and related pathways showed a dichotomic expression, i.e., they are up-regulated in one mutant line and down-regulated in the other one. Subsequent interrogation on the source of the alterations at transcript level were applied using exon-intron split analysis. However, no strong directions toward transcriptional or post-transcriptional regulation comparing both mouse lines were observed. Altogether, the dichotomic gene expression observed and their involved signaling pathways are of interest because they may act as “switches” to modulate the directionality of neural homeostasis, which then is relevant for pathologies, such as stress-related disorders and epilepsy.

scholarly journals Endocannabinoid system and pain: an introduction

2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
James J. Burston ◽  
Stephen G. Woodhams
Keyword(s):  
Cannabinoid Receptors ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Ventrolateral Medulla ◽  
Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor ◽  
Pain Pathway

The endocannabinoid (EC) system consists of two main receptors: cannabinoid type 1 receptor cannabinoid receptors are found in both the central nervous system (CNS) and periphery, whereas the cannabinoid type 2 receptor cannabinoid receptor is found principally in the immune system and to a lesser extent in the CNS. The EC family consists of two classes of well characterised ligands; the N-acyl ethanolamines, such as N-arachidonoyl ethanolamide or anandamide (AEA), and the monoacylglycerols, such as 2-arachidonoyl glycerol. The various synthetic and catabolic pathways for these enzymes have been (with the exception of AEA synthesis) elucidated. To date, much work has examined the role of EC in nociceptive processing and the potential of targeting the EC system to produce analgesia. Cannabinoid receptors and ligands are found at almost every level of the pain pathway from peripheral sites, such as peripheral nerves and immune cells, to central integration sites such as the spinal cord, and higher brain regions such as the periaqueductal grey and the rostral ventrolateral medulla associated with descending control of pain. EC have been shown to induce analgesia in preclinical models of acute nociception and chronic pain states. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the evidence for the role of EC in the pain pathway and the therapeutic potential of EC to produce analgesia. We also review the present clinical work conducted with EC, and examine whether targeting the EC system might offer a novel target for analgesics, and also potentially disease-modifying interventions for pathophysiological pain states.

Cannabinoid Receptors in Metabolic Regulation and Diabetes

Physiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-113
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Rohbeck ◽  
Juergen Eckel ◽  
Tania Romacho
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Regulation ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptors ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Targets ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
The Impact

There is an urgent need for developing effective drugs to combat the obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemics. The endocannabinoid system plays a major role in energy homeostasis. It comprises the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), endogenous ligands called endocannabinoids and their metabolizing enzymes. Because the CB1 receptor is overactivated in metabolic alterations, pharmacological blockade of the CB1 receptor arose as a promising candidate to treat obesity. However, because of the wide distribution of CB1 receptors in the central nervous system, their negative central effects halted further therapeutic use. Although the CB2 receptor is mostly peripherally expressed, its role in metabolic homeostasis remains unclear. This review discusses the potential of CB1 and CB2 receptors at the peripheral level to be therapeutic targets in metabolic diseases. We focus on the impact of pharmacological intervention and/or silencing on peripheral cannabinoid receptors in organs/tissues relevant for energy homeostasis. Moreover, we provide a perspective on novel therapeutic strategies modulating these receptors. Targeting CB1 with peripherally restricted antagonists, neutral antagonists, inverse agonists, or monoclonal antibodies could represent successful strategies. CB2 agonism has shown promising results at preclinical level. Beyond classic antagonism and agonism targeting orthosteric sites, the recently described crystal structures of CB1 and CB2 open new possibilities for therapeutic interventions with negative and positive allosteric modulators. The challenge of simultaneously targeting CB1 and CB2 might be possible by developing dual-steric ligands. The future will tell whether these promising strategies result in a renaissance of the cannabinoid receptors as therapeutic targets in metabolic diseases.

The cloning and characterization of the cannabinoid type 1 receptor

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary E. Abood ◽  
Thomas Gamage
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Cb1 Receptor ◽  
Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor ◽  
Endogenous Cannabinoid ◽  
Endogenous Cannabinoid System

The cloning and characterization of the first cannabinoid receptor (now known as the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor) by Matsuda et al. in the landmark paper discussed in this chapter was a seminal discovery in 1990. While the analgesic properties of marijuana had been known for thousands of years, the mechanisms through which marijuana produces analgesia were not understood. The identification and functional characterization of the CB1 receptor led to the discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system (the endocannabinoid system), which has now been shown to be important not only for acute and chronic pain states, but also for a whole host of physiological and pathophysiological disorders.

Recent Nano-based Therapeutic Intervention of Bioactive Sesquiterpenes: Prospects in Cancer Therapeutics

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 1138-1144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad A. Ansari ◽  
Khan F. Badrealam ◽  
Asrar Alam ◽  
Saba Tufail ◽  
Gulshan Khalique ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Essential Oils ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Therapeutic Intervention ◽  
Cancer Therapeutics ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Clinical Applicability ◽  
Near Future

: In the recent scenario, nanotechnology-based therapeutics intervention has gained tremendous impetus all across the globe. Nano-based pharmacological intervention of various bioactive compounds has been explored on an increasing scale. Sesquiterpenes are major constituents of essential oils (EOs) present in various plant species which possess intriguing therapeutic potentials. However, owing to their poor physicochemical properties; they have pharmacological limitations. Recent advances in nano-based therapeutic interventions offer various avenues to improve their therapeutic applicability. Reckoning with these, the present review collates various nano-based therapeutic intervention of sesquiterpenes with prospective potential against various debilitating diseases especially cancer. In our viewpoint, considering the burgeoning advancement in the field of nanomedicine; in the near future, the clinical applicability of these nano-formulated sesquiterpenes can be foreseen with great enthusiasm.

scholarly journals CB1 antagonism increases excitatory synaptogenesis in a cortical spheroid model of fetal brain development

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Papariello ◽  
David Taylor ◽  
Ken Soderstrom ◽  
Karen Litwa
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Spontaneous Activity ◽  
Microelectrode Array ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Fetal Brain ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Inhibitory Synapses ◽  
Fetal Brain Development

AbstractThe endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a complex role in the development of neural circuitry during fetal brain development. The cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) controls synaptic strength at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses and thus contributes to the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling. Imbalances in the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory synapses have been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders associated with dysregulated central nervous system development including autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. The role of CB1 in human brain development has been difficult to study but advances in induced pluripotent stem cell technology have allowed us to model the fetal brain environment. Cortical spheroids resemble the cortex of the dorsal telencephalon during mid-fetal gestation and possess functional synapses, spontaneous activity, an astrocyte population, and pseudo-laminar organization. We first characterized the ECS using STORM microscopy and observed synaptic localization of components similar to that which is observed in the fetal brain. Next, using the CB1-selective antagonist SR141716A, we observed an increase in excitatory, and to a lesser extent, inhibitory synaptogenesis as measured by confocal image analysis. Further, CB1 antagonism increased the variability of spontaneous activity within developing neural networks, as measured by microelectrode array. Overall, we have established that cortical spheroids express ECS components and are thus a useful model for exploring endocannabinoid mediation of childhood neuropsychiatric disease.

scholarly journals Expression of type one cannabinoid receptor in different subpopulation of kisspeptin neurons and kisspeptin afferents to GnRH neurons in female mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamás Wilheim ◽  
Krisztina Nagy ◽  
Mahendravarman Mohanraj ◽  
Kamil Ziarniak ◽  
Masahiko Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Third Ventricle ◽  
Glutamate Transporter ◽  
Neuroendocrine Cells ◽  
Receptor Protein ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Female Mice ◽  
Gnrh Neurons ◽  
Periventricular Area ◽  
Cycle Dependent

AbstractThe endocannabinoids have been shown to target the afferents of hypothalamic neurons via cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1) and thereby to influence their excitability at various physiological and/or pathological processes. Kisspeptin (KP) neurons form afferents of multiple neuroendocrine cells and influence their activity via signaling through a variation of co-expressed classical neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. The differential potency of endocannabinoids to influence the release of classical transmitters or neuropeptides, and the ovarian cycle-dependent functioning of the endocannabinoid signaling in the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons initiated us to study whether (a) the different subpopulations of KP neurons express CB1 mRNAs, (b) the expression is influenced by estrogen, and (c) CB1-immunoreactivity is present in the KP afferents to GnRH neurons. The aim of the study was to investigate the site- and cell-specific expression of CB1 in female mice using multiple labeling in situ hybridization and immunofluorescent histochemical techniques. The results support that CB1 mRNAs are expressed by both the GABAergic and glutamatergic subpopulations of KP neurons, the receptor protein is detectable in two-thirds of the KP afferents to GnRH neurons, and the expression of CB1 mRNA shows an estrogen-dependency. The applied estrogen-treatment, known to induce proestrus, reduced the level of CB1 transcripts in the rostral periventricular area of the third ventricle and arcuate nucleus, and differently influenced its co-localization with vesicular GABA transporter or vesicular glutamate transporter-2 in KP neurons. This indicates a gonadal cycle-dependent role of endocannabinoid signaling in the neuronal circuits involving KP neurons.

Activation of astroglial CB1R mediates cerebral ischemic tolerance induced by electroacupuncture

2021 ◽  
pp. 0271678X2199439
Author(s):  
Cen Yang ◽  
Jingjing Liu ◽  
Jingyi Wang ◽  
Anqi Yin ◽  
Zhenhua Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Artery Occlusion ◽  
Ischemic Tolerance ◽  
Protective Mechanisms ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽  
Subsequent Activation ◽  
Cerebral Ischemic ◽  
Cerebral Artery Occlusion ◽  
The Brain

There are no effective treatments for stroke. The activation of endogenous protective mechanisms is a promising therapeutic approach, which evokes the intrinsic ability of the brain to protect itself. Accumulated evidence strongly suggests that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment induces rapid tolerance to cerebral ischemia. With regard to mechanisms underlying ischemic tolerance induced by EA, many molecules and signaling pathways are involved, such as the endocannabinoid system, although the exact mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we employed mutant mice, neuropharmacology, microdialysis, and virus transfection techniques in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model to explore the cell-specific and brain region-specific mechanisms of EA-induced neuroprotection. EA pretreatment resulted in increased ambient endocannabinoid (eCB) levels and subsequent activation of ischemic penumbral astroglial cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1R) which led to moderate upregulation of extracellular glutamate that protected neurons from cerebral ischemic injury. These findings provide a novel cellular mechanism of EA and a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

scholarly journals Therapeutic Attributes of Endocannabinoid System against Neuro-Inflammatory Autoimmune Disorders

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3389
Author(s):  
Ishtiaq Ahmed ◽  
Saif Ur Rehman ◽  
Shiva Shahmohamadnejad ◽  
Muhammad Anjum Zia ◽  
Muhammad Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cannabinoid Receptors ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Autoimmune Disorders ◽  
Specific Receptors ◽  
Different Cell Types

In humans, various sites like cannabinoid receptors (CBR) having a binding affinity with cannabinoids are distributed on the surface of different cell types, where endocannabinoids (ECs) and derivatives of fatty acid can bind. The binding of these substance(s) triggers the activation of specific receptors required for various physiological functions, including pain sensation, memory, and appetite. The ECs and CBR perform multiple functions via the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1); cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), having a key effect in restraining neurotransmitters and the arrangement of cytokines. The role of cannabinoids in the immune system is illustrated because of their immunosuppressive characteristics. These characteristics include inhibition of leucocyte proliferation, T cells apoptosis, and induction of macrophages along with reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion. The review seeks to discuss the functional relationship between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and anti-tumor characteristics of cannabinoids in various cancers. The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids for cancer—both in vivo and in vitro clinical trials—has also been highlighted and reported to be effective in mice models in arthritis for the inflammation reduction, neuropathic pain, positive effect in multiple sclerosis and type-1 diabetes mellitus, and found beneficial for treating in various cancers. In human models, such studies are limited; thereby, further research is indispensable in this field to get a conclusive outcome. Therefore, in autoimmune disorders, therapeutic cannabinoids can serve as promising immunosuppressive and anti-fibrotic agents.

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