Cannabinoid CB1 receptors have been detected in retinas of numerous species, with prominent labeling in photoreceptor terminals of the chick and monkey. CB1 labeling is well-conserved across species, suggesting that CB1 receptors might also be present in photoreceptors of the tiger salamander. Synaptic transmission in vertebrate photoreceptors is mediated by L-type calcium currents-currents tha...

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are an emerging class of abused drugs that differ from each other and the phytocannabinoid ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their safety and cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) pharmacology. As efficacy represents a critical parameter to understanding drug action, the present study investigated this metric by assessing in vivo and in vitro actions of THC, two well-charact...

BACKGROUND Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) is expressed in certain types of malignancies. An analysis of CB1 expression and function in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), one of the most frequent lymphomas, was not performed to date. DESIGN AND METHODS We examined the distribution of CB1 protein in primary cases of HL. Using lymphoma derived cell lines, the role of CB1 signaling on cell survival was investi...

The meiotic maturation of oocyte and spermatocyte in animals is controlled by the maturation promotion factor (MPF), a complex of Cdc2 and cyclin B proteins. To better understand the mechanism of oocyte and spermatocyte maturation in fish, the expression of cyclin B1 (CB1), B2 (CB2) and Cdc2 kinase during oogenesis and spermatogenesis in rainbow trout were examined at both the mRNA and protein ...

The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Americans is 9% and increasing. Increased afferent vagal activation may predispose to OSA by reducing upper airway muscle activation/patency and disrupting respiratory rhythmogenesis. Vagal afferent neurons are inhibited by cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) or cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptors in animal models of vagally-mediated behaviors. Injections ...

Endocannabinoids regulate energy balance and lipid metabolism by stimulating the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1). Genetic deletion and pharmacological antagonism have shown that CB1 signaling is necessary for the development of obesity and related metabolic disturbances. However, the sufficiency of endogenously produced endocannabinoids to cause hepatic lipid accumulation and insulin resistan...

GW405833, widely accepted as a cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist, suppresses pathologic pain in preclinical models without the unwanted central side effects of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonists; however, recent in vitro studies have suggested that GW405833 may also behave as a noncompetitive CB1 antagonist, suggesting that its pharmacology is more complex than initially appreciated. Here...

The CB1 cannabinoid receptor, the main molecular target of endocannabinoids and cannabis active components, is the most abundant G protein-coupled receptor in the mammalian brain. Of note, CB1 receptors are expressed at the synapses of two opposing (i.e., GABAergic/inhibitory and glutamatergic/excitatory) neuronal populations, so the activation of one and/or another receptor population may conc...

A single administration of cocaine or D-amphetamine produces acute hyperlocomotion and long-lasting increased sensitivity to subsequent injections. This locomotor sensitization reveals the powerful ability of psychostimulants to induce brain plasticity and may participate in the alterations that underlie addiction. We investigated the role of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1-R) in the effects o...

CB1 inverse agonists (e.g., rimonabant) have been reported to produce adverse effects including nausea, emesis, and anhedonia that limit their clinical applications. Recent laboratory studies suggest that the effects of CB1 neutral antagonists differ from those of such inverse agonists, raising the possibility of improved clinical utility. However, little is known regarding the antagonist prope...