TY - GEN
T1 - Discovery of the presence and functional expression of cannabinoid CB2 receptors in brain
AU - Onaivi, Emmanuel S.
AU - Ishiguro, Hiroki
AU - Gong, Jian Ping
AU - Patel, Sejal
AU - Perchuk, Alex
AU - Meozzi, Paul A.
AU - Myers, Lester
AU - Mora, Zoila
AU - Tagliaferro, Patricia
AU - Gardner, Eileen
AU - Brusco, Alicia
AU - Akinshola, Babatunde E.
AU - Liu, Qing Rong
AU - Hope, Bruce
AU - Iwasaki, Shinya
AU - Arinami, Tadao
AU - Teasenfitz, Lindsey
AU - Uhl, George R.
PY - 2006/8
Y1 - 2006/8
N2 - Two well-characterized cannabinoid receptors (CBrs), CB1 and CB2, mediate the effects of cannabinoids and marijuana use, with functional evidence for other CBrs. CBl receptors are expressed primarily in brain and peripheral tissues. For over a decade several laboratories were unable to detect CB2 receptors in brain and were known to be intensely expressed in peripheral and immune tissues and have traditionally been referred to as peripheral CB2 CBrs. We have reported the discovery and functional presence of CB2 cannabinoid receptors in mammalian brain that may be involved in depression and drug abuse and this was supported by reports of identification of neuronal CB2 receptors that are involved in emesis. We used ET-PCM, immunoblotting, hippocampal cultures, inununohistocfaemistry, transmission electron microscopy, and stereotaxic techniques with behavioral assays to determine the functional expression of CB2 CBrs in rat brain and mice brain exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS) or those treated with abused drugs. RT-PCR analyses supported the expression of brain CB2 receptor transcripts at levels much lower than those of CB1 receptors. In situ hybridization revealed CB2 mRNA in cerebellar neurons of wild-type but not of CB2 knockout mice. Abundant CB2 receptor immunoreactivity (iCB2) in neuronal and glial processes was detected in brain and CB2 expression was defected in neuron-specific enolase (NSE) positive hippocampal cell cultures. The effect of direct CB2 antisense oligonucleotide injection into the brain and treatment with JWH015 in motor function and plus-maze tests also demonstrated the functional presence of CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). Thus, contrary to the prevailing view that CB2 CBrs are restricted to peripheral tissues and predominantly in immune cells, we demonstrated that CB2 CBrs and their gene transcripts are widely distributed in the brain. This multifocal expression of CB2 immunoreactivity in brain suggests that CB2 receptors may play broader roles in the brain than previously anticipated and may be exploited as new targets in the treatment of depression and substance abuse.
AB - Two well-characterized cannabinoid receptors (CBrs), CB1 and CB2, mediate the effects of cannabinoids and marijuana use, with functional evidence for other CBrs. CBl receptors are expressed primarily in brain and peripheral tissues. For over a decade several laboratories were unable to detect CB2 receptors in brain and were known to be intensely expressed in peripheral and immune tissues and have traditionally been referred to as peripheral CB2 CBrs. We have reported the discovery and functional presence of CB2 cannabinoid receptors in mammalian brain that may be involved in depression and drug abuse and this was supported by reports of identification of neuronal CB2 receptors that are involved in emesis. We used ET-PCM, immunoblotting, hippocampal cultures, inununohistocfaemistry, transmission electron microscopy, and stereotaxic techniques with behavioral assays to determine the functional expression of CB2 CBrs in rat brain and mice brain exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS) or those treated with abused drugs. RT-PCR analyses supported the expression of brain CB2 receptor transcripts at levels much lower than those of CB1 receptors. In situ hybridization revealed CB2 mRNA in cerebellar neurons of wild-type but not of CB2 knockout mice. Abundant CB2 receptor immunoreactivity (iCB2) in neuronal and glial processes was detected in brain and CB2 expression was defected in neuron-specific enolase (NSE) positive hippocampal cell cultures. The effect of direct CB2 antisense oligonucleotide injection into the brain and treatment with JWH015 in motor function and plus-maze tests also demonstrated the functional presence of CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). Thus, contrary to the prevailing view that CB2 CBrs are restricted to peripheral tissues and predominantly in immune cells, we demonstrated that CB2 CBrs and their gene transcripts are widely distributed in the brain. This multifocal expression of CB2 immunoreactivity in brain suggests that CB2 receptors may play broader roles in the brain than previously anticipated and may be exploited as new targets in the treatment of depression and substance abuse.
KW - Brain
KW - CB2 blocking peptide
KW - CB2 cannabinoid receptor
KW - CB2 electron micrograph
KW - CB2 knockout mice
KW - CB2 polyclonal antibody
KW - Hippocampal cultures
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - In situ hybridization
KW - mRNA
KW - RT-PCR
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33749544716&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1196/annals.1369.052
DO - 10.1196/annals.1369.052
M3 - Conference contribution
C2 - 17105950
AN - SCOPUS:33749544716
SN - 1573316296
SN - 9781573316293
T3 - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
SP - 514
EP - 536
BT - Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Drugs of Abuse and Neurotoxicity
PB - Blackwell Publishing Inc.
ER -