Intranigral injection of the transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1; also known as VR1) agonist capsaicin (CAP) into the rat brain, or treatment of rat mesencephalic cultures with CAP, resulted in cell death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, as visualized by immunocytochemistry. This in vivo and in vitro effect was ameliorated by the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine (CZP) or iodo-resin...

OBJECTIVE Cannabinoids are derivates of the marijuana component Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol that exert their effects on mesenchymal cells and immune cells via CB1 and CB2 receptors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of CB1 in systemic sclerosis. METHODS CB1-deficient (CB1(-/-) ) mice and wild-type littermates (CB1(+/+) mice) were injected with bleomycin. CB1 signaling was a...

Cannabinoids are known to enhance appetite by activating cannabinoid (CB1) receptors. This phenomenon is exploited to combat cachexia and loss of appetite in cancer and AIDS patients. The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG) is present in milk. Evidence is presented supporting a critical role for CB1 receptors in survival of mouse pups. Thus neonates do not gain weight and die within th...

The effects of CB1 receptor agonist HU-210 and cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist SR 141716A on nociception of male Wistar rats with a model of depression (bilateral olfactory bulbectomy, OBX) were studied. HU-210 (5 μg) and SR 141716A (3 μg) were acutely microinjected i.c.v. on the developed depression background. Nociception was examined as applied mechanical pressure on the left hind paw of...

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...

Background Studies have shown the involvement of cannabinoid (CB) receptors in the behavioral and neurobiological effects of psychostimulants. Most of these studies have focused on the role of CB1 receptors in the psychostimulant effects of cocaine, while very few have investigated the respective role of CB2 receptors. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the extent of CB receptor involve...

BACKGROUND The contributions of brain cannabinoid (CB) receptors, typically CB1 (CB type 1) receptors, to the behavioral effects of nicotine (NC) have been reported to involve brain transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors, and the activation of candidate endogenous TRPV1 ligands is expected to be therapeutically effective. In the present study, the effects of TRPV1 ligands wi...

Cannabinoids are the most popular illicit drugs used for recreational purposes worldwide. However, the neurobiological substrate of their mood-altering capacity has not been elucidated so far. Here we report that CB1 cannabinoid receptors are expressed at high levels in certain amygdala nuclei, especially in the lateral and basal nuclei, but are absent in other nuclei (e.g., in the central nucl...

Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in the United States.1 It mainly acts on cannabinoid receptors. There are two types of cannabinoid receptors in humans: cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2). CB1 receptor activation is pro-atherogenic, and CB2 receptor activation is largely anti-atherogenic. Marijuana use is also implicated as a trigger for myocardial...

Neuroimmune networks and the brain endocannabinoid system contribute to the maintenance of neurogenesis. Activation of cannabinoid receptors suppresses chronic inflammatory responses through the attenuation of pro-inflammatory mediators. Moreover, the endocannabinoid system directs cell fate specification of NSCs (neural stem cells) in the CNS (central nervous system). The aim of our work is to...