Abstract
Endocannabinoids are endogenous ligands of brain-type (CB 1) and spleen-type (CB 2) cannabinoid receptors. N-Arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide, AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are prototype members of the fatty acid amides and the monoacylglycerols, two groups of endocannabinoids. Unlike CB 1, CB 2 receptors do not reside within 'caveolae', specialized membrane microdomains that are well-known modulators of the activity of a number of G protein-coupled receptors. In this issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology, Rimmerman and coworkers demonstrate that 2-AG is entirely localized in the caveolae of dorsal root ganglion cells, where also part of AEA (∼30%) can be detected. However, most of AEA (∼70%) was detected in non-caveolae fractions, that is where CB 2 receptors are localized. The different interaction of AEA and 2-AG with membrane microdomains might have significant implications for endocannabinoid-dependent autocrine and/or retrograde-paracrine signalling pathways. It also raises an important question about the structural determinants responsible for a different localization of two apparently similar endocannabinoids within lipid bilayers.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 179-181 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | British Journal of Pharmacology |
Volume | 153 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2008 |
Keywords
- Cannabinoids
- Caveolae
- Cholesterol
- Endocannabinoids
- Lipid rafts
- Signal transduction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology