BACKGROUND Cumulative data indicate that the endocannabinoid system plays a major role in feeding behavior and energy balance. Genetic silencing of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) reduces body weight gain, independently of food intake. METHODS In this work, we investigated whether the hypothalamic neuropeptide expression pattern supports the absence of the anorexigenic response observed und...

Background: Cannabinoid receptor subtype 1 (CB1) has a relationship to the proliferation of various cells including malignant tumoral cells. We investigated and compared the expression of CB1 in benign and malignant human prostate tissues and in benign and malignant human prostate cell lines, as well as its function for the proliferation of human prostate cancer cells. Methods: Real-time quanti...

Long-term cannabinoid administration produces region-dependent CB1 receptor desensitization and down-regulation. This study examined the time course for normalization of CB1 receptors and G-protein activation using 3H-labeled N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboximide hydrochloride (SR141716A) and guanosine 5'-O-(3-[35S]thio)triphosphate ([35...

Administration of the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine is commonly used to induce seizures in rodents for the study of epilepsy. Activation of muscarinic receptors has been previously shown to increase the production of endocannabinoids in the brain. Endocannabinoids act at the cannabinoid CB1 receptors to reduce neurotransmitter release and the severity of seizures in several models of epilepsy....

BACKGROUND Overactivity and/or dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) contribute to development of obesity. In vitro studies indicate a regulatory role for the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in adipocyte function and CB1-receptor deficient (CB1-/-) mice are resistant to high fat diet-induced obesity. Whether this phenotype of CB1-/- mice is related to altered fat metabolism in adipose ...

Cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1a (CRIP1a) is a CB1 receptor (CB1 R) distal C-terminus-associated protein that modulates CB1 R signaling via G proteins, and CB1 R down-regulation but not desensitization (Blume et al. [2015] Cell Signal., 27, 716-726; Smith et al. [2015] Mol. Pharmacol., 87, 747-765). In this study, we determined the involvement of CRIP1a in CB1 R plasma membrane traff...

The cannabinoid receptor CB1 is found in abundance in brain neurons, whereas CB2 is essentially expressed outside the brain. In the neocortex, CB1 is observed predominantly on large cholecystokinin (CCK)-expressing interneurons. However, physiological evidence suggests that functional CB1 are present on other neocortical neuronal types. We investigated the expression of CB1 and CB2 in identifie...

Excessive inflammatory responses can emerge as a potential danger for organisms' health. Physiological balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory processes constitutes an important feature of responses against harmful events. Here, we show that cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) mediate intrinsic protective signals that counteract proinflammatory responses. Both intrarectal infusion of 2,4-dini...

BACKGROUND Preterm birth accounting approximate 10% of pregnancies in women is a tremendous social, clinical and economic burden. However, its underlying causes remain largely unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that endocannabinoid signaling via cannabinoid receptor CB1 play critical roles in multiple early pregnancy events in both animals and humans. Since our previous studies demonstrated th...

Diet-induced obesity is associated with fatty liver, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, and changes in plasma lipid profile. Endocannabinoids have been implicated in the development of these associated phenotypes, because mice deficient for the cannabinoid receptor CB1 (CB1-/-) do not display these changes in association with diet-induced obesity. The target tissues that mediate these effec...