Cannabinoid receptor agonists are mitochondrial inhibitors: a unified hypothesis of how cannabinoids modulate mitochondrial function and induce cell death.

Time-lapse microscopy of human lung cancer (H460) cells showed that the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide (AEA), the phyto-cannabinoid Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and a synthetic cannabinoid HU 210 all caused morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis. Janus green assays of H460 cell viability showed that AEA and THC caused significant increases in OD 595 nm at lower concentrations (10-50 microM) and significant decreases at 100 microM, whilst HU 210 caused significant decreases at all concentrations. In rat heart mitochondria, all three ligands caused significant decreases in oxygen consumption and mitochondrial membrane potential.

Electron-immunocytochemistry of peptides in endothelial cells of rabbit cerebral vessels following perfusion with a perfluorocarbon emulsion.

This study describes the localization of endothelin-1-, vasopressin- and substance P-like immunoreactivity in a subpopulation of endothelial cells of the basilar and posterior communicating arteries of the (i) normal rabbit brains and (ii) rabbit brains perfused with a perfluorocarbon emulsion (PFC). Following perfusion with the PFC at increased flow the endothelial cell ultrastructure appeared normal, although there was a decrease of immunoreactivity to these peptides. This suggests that these peptides may be involved in endothelial control of blood flow in cerebral vessels.