ABSTRACT: The discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS; comprising of G-protein coupled cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors, their endogenous lipid ligands or endocannabinoids, and synthetic and metabolizing enzymes, triggered an avalanche of experimental studies that have implicated the ECS in a growing number of physiological/pathological functions. They also suggested that ... Continue Reading
Inflammation
STUDY: N-Acyl amino acids and N-acyl neurotransmitter conjugates: neuromodulators and probes for new drug targets
ABSTRACT: The myriad functions of lipids as signalling molecules is one of the most interesting fields in contemporary pharmacology, with a host of compounds recognized as mediators of communication within and between cells. The N-acyl conjugates of amino acids and neurotransmitters (NAANs) have recently come to prominence because of their potential roles in the nervous ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Inhibiting fatty acid amide hydrolase normalizes endotoxin-induced enhanced gastrointestinal motility in mice
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Gastrointestinal (GI) motility is regulated in part by fatty acid ethanolamides (FAEs), including the endocannabinoid (EC) anandamide (AEA). The actions of FAEs are terminated by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). We investigated the actions of the novel FAAH inhibitor AM3506 on normal and enhanced GI motility. EXPERIMENTAL ... Continue Reading
STUDY: New blood brothers: the GPR55 and CB2 partnership
ABSTRACT: Endocannabinoids are increasingly being recognized as key lipid-derived regulators of immune function 1. Although the peripheral cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2) is thought to orchestrate many of these actions, additional non-CB1/CB2-mediated effects of cannabinoids have been identified in immune cells 1, 2, where several orphan G protein-coupled receptors ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Emerging Role of the CB2 Cannabinoid Receptor in Immune Regulation and Therapeutic Prospects
ABSTRACT: There is now a large body of data that indicates that the CB2 cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) is linked to a variety of immune functional events. This functional relevance appears to be most salient in the course of inflammation, a process during which there is an increased number of receptors that are available for activation. Studies aimed at elucidating signal ... Continue Reading