Cannabinoids exert various biological effects that are either receptor-mediated or independent of receptor signaling. Mitochondrial effects of cannabinoids were interpreted either as non-receptor-mediated alteration of mitochondrial membranes, or as indirect consequences of activation of plasma membrane type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1). Recently, CB1 receptors were confirmed to be localized t...

AIM We hypothesized that the anticancer activity of cannabinoids was linked to induction of phosphatases. MATERIALS AND METHODS The effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and the synthetic cannabinoid WIN-55,212 (WIN) on LNCaP (prostate) and SW480 (colon) cancer cell proliferation were determined by cell counting; apoptosis was determined by cleavage of poly(ADP)ribose polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3 (...

Abstract* Introduction: Cannabis consumption during pregnancy may affect fetal growth, motor performance, memory and cognitive functions. Methods: Primiparous pregnant Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups (6 rats per group) consisting of control and sham groups as well as 2 groups treated with Win. Win treated groups received daily s.c. injections of 0.5 or 1 mg/kg WIN ...

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...

Cannabinoid receptors are members of the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. Their activation has previously been shown to stimulate guanosine 5'-O-(3-[35S]thio)-triphosphate ([35S]GTP gamma S) binding in a range of brain regions using both membrane preparations and autoradiography. This study evaluates the activities of structurally diverse cannabinoid receptor ligands in the GTP gamma...

The coupling between presynaptic Ca(2+) channels and Ca(2+) sensors of exocytosis is a key determinant of synaptic transmission. Evoked release from parvalbumin (PV)-expressing interneurons is triggered by nanodomain coupling of P/Q-type Ca(2+) channels, whereas release from cholecystokinin (CCK)-containing interneurons is generated by microdomain coupling of N-type channels. Nanodomain couplin...

The cannabinoid system is known to be involved in the regulation of inflammatory processes. Therefore, drugs targeting cannabinoid receptors are considered as candidates for anti-inflammatory and tissue protective therapy. We demonstrated that the prototypical cannabinoid agonist R(+)WIN55,212-2 (WIN) reduced the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in a murine model of cigarette-smo...

Cannabinoids, including the endogenous ligand anandamide (arachidonyl ethanolamide), elicit pronounced hypotension in rats via activation of peripherally located CB1 cannabinoid receptors, which have been also implicated in endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS])-induced hypotension. The present study was designed to test the role of vascular CB1 receptors in cannabinoid- and endotoxin-induced mes...

Ethanol increases miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current frequency and decreases the paired-pulse ratio, which suggests that ethanol increases both spontaneous and evoked GABA release, respectively. We have shown previously that ethanol increases GABA release at the rat interneuron-Purkinje cell synapse and that this ethanol effect involves calcium release from internal stores; however, furt...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/6481862.].