Endocannabinoids form a novel class of retrograde messengers that modulate short- and long-term synaptic plasticity. Depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE) and inhibition (DSI) are the best characterized transient forms of endocannabinoid-mediated synaptic modulation. Stimulation protocols consisting of long-lasting voltage steps to the postsynaptic cell are routinely used to ev...

In this work, the uptake and release of [3H]arachidonic acid by the diacyl and ether species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in human platelets were studied. Uptake of [3H]arachidonic acid into 1,2-diacyl-PC and 1,2-diacyl-PE was much greater than into the ether phospholipids of the same class. In [3H]arachidonoyl-labeled platelets stimulated by thrombin, there was...

Arachidonoyl-CoA synthetase was solubilized from a particulate fraction of calf brain and human platelets using 1% Nonidet P-40 and 10 mM EDTA. Arachidonoyl-CoA synthetase from both preparations was separated from nonspecific (long chain) acyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.3) by chromatography on hydroxylapatite. To further substantiate that the two acyl-CoA synthetases are distinct proteins, we sol...

words) : 230 Introduction (words) : 861 Discussion (words) : 653 Non-standard abbreviations: DSE, depolarization induced suppression of excitation; 2-AG, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol; FAAH, fatty acid amide hydrolase; COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; MGL, monoacyl glycerol lipase; ABHD6/12, α/βhydrolase domain 6 and 12; AEA, arachidonoyl ethanolamide; MAFP, methyl arachidonoyl fluorophosphonate; NAM, N-arac...

Different classes of neurons in the CNS utilize endogenous cannabinoids as retrograde messengers to shape afferent activity in a short- and long-lasting fashion. Transient suppression of excitation and inhibition as well as long-term depression or potentiation in many brain regions require endocannabinoids to be released by the postsynaptic neurons and activate presynaptic CB1 receptors. Memory...

The aim of the present study was to examine whether endocannabinoids cause PPARγ-mediated vascular actions. Functional vascular studies were carried out in rat aortae. Anandamide and N-arachidonoyl-dopamine (NADA), but not palmitoylethanolamide, caused significant vasorelaxation over time (2 hours). Vasorelaxation to NADA, but not anandamide, was inhibited by CB(1) receptor antagonism (AM251, 1...

Addition of 1-O-alk-1'-enyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (alkenyl-lyso-GPE) to human neutrophil membrane preparations containing 1-O-[3H]hexadecyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (1-O-[3H]alkyl-2-arachidonoyl-GPC) resulted in rapid deacylation of the 1-O-[3H]alkyl-2-arachidonoyl-GPC to 1-O-[3H]alkyl-2-lyso-GPC (lyso-platelet-activating factor, lyso-PAF). When acetyl-CoA...