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Neuropharmacology 2021 Apr 9:108555. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. Electronic address:

Recent years have yielded significant advances in our understanding of microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia are key players in CNS development, immune surveillance, and the maintenance of proper neuronal function throughout life. In the healthy brain, homeostatic microglia have a unique molecular signature. Read More

Neurosci Lett 2021 Apr 7:135883. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Copper Medical School of Rowan University, United States. Electronic address:

We have previously reported that the repeated exposure to cannabinoids upregulates and enhances the activity of serotonin 2A (5-HT) and dopamine 2 (D) receptors and facilitates the formation of D-5-HT receptor heterodimers in the rat prefrontal cortex and two neuronal cell lines. Because the repeated exposure to cannabinoids has been associated with adverse neuropsychiatric disorders, this study investigated the mechanisms that underly the cannabinoid-mediated regulation of D receptor expression in a neuronal cell model, CLU213 cells. We initially tested the effects of repeated exposure (72 hours) to a non-selective cannabinoid agonist (1 nM CP55940), a selective CB receptor agonist (15 nM ACEA), or a selective CB receptor drug (1 nM GP1a) on the expression of postsynaptic D (DL) receptors in CLU213 cells. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2021 Apr 4:174089. Epub 2021 Apr 4.

Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address:

The participation of the peripheral opioid and cannabinoid endogenous systems in modulating muscle pain and inflammation has not been fully explored. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of these endogenous systems during muscular-tissue hyperalgesia induced by inflammation. Hyperalgesia was induced by carrageenan injection into the tibialis anterior muscles of male Wistar rats. Read More

Biomolecules 2021 Mar 26;11(4). Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Laboratory of Neurochemistry of Lipids, European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy.

Growing evidence shows that the immune system is critically involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and progression. The modulation and targeting of peripheral immune mechanisms are thus promising therapeutic or preventive strategies for AD. Given the critical involvement of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in modulating immune functions, we investigated the potential role of the main elements of such a system, namely type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors (CB and CB), and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), in distinct immune cell populations of the peripheral blood of AD patients. Read More

Cells 2021 Mar 22;10(3). Epub 2021 Mar 22.

Department of Diabetes, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.

Aims: The endocannabinoid system is a complex cell-signaling network through which endogenous cannabinoid ligands regulate cell function by interaction with CB and CB cannabinoid receptors, and with the novel cannabinoid receptor GPR55. CB, CB, and GPR55 are expressed by islet β-cells where they modulate insulin secretion. We have previously shown that administration of the putative CB antagonist/inverse agonist JTE 907 to human islets did not affect the insulinotropic actions of CB agonists and it unexpectedly stimulated insulin secretion on its own. Read More