GLAST versus GFAP as astroglial marker for the subcellular study of cannabinoid CB receptors in astrocytes.

The cannabinoid CB receptor-mediated functions in astrocytes are highly dependent on the CB receptor distribution in these glial cells relative to neuronal sites, particularly at the nearby synapses under normal or pathological conditions. However, the portrait of the CB receptor distribution in astroglial compartments remains uncompleted because of the scarce CB receptor expression in these cells and the limited identification of astrocytes. The glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is commonly used as astroglial marker.

Lack of the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Shifts Cannabinoid-Dependent Excitatory Synaptic Plasticity in the Dentate Gyrus of the Mouse Brain Hippocampus.

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) participates in synaptic functions in the brain. In the dentate gyrus, post-synaptic TRPV1 in the granule cell (GC) dendritic spines mediates a type of long-term depression (LTD) of the excitatory medial perforant path (MPP) synapses independent of pre-synaptic cannabinoid CB receptors. As CB receptors also mediate LTD at these synapses, both CB and TRPV1 might be influencing the activity of each other acting from opposite synaptic sites.

Glucose metabolism links astroglial mitochondria to cannabinoid effects.

Astrocytes take up glucose from the bloodstream to provide energy to the brain, thereby allowing neuronal activity and behavioural responses. By contrast, astrocytes are under neuronal control through specific neurotransmitter receptors. However, whether the activation of astroglial receptors can directly regulate cellular glucose metabolism to eventually modulate behavioural responses is unclear.

Cannabidiol Administration Prevents Hypoxia-Ischemia-Induced Hypomyelination in Newborn Rats.

Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a risk factor for myelination disturbances, a key factor for cerebral palsy. Cannabidiol (CBD) protects neurons and glial cells after HI insult in newborn animals. We hereby aimed to study CBD's effects on long-lasting HI-induced myelination deficits in newborn rats.

CB1 Receptors in the Anterior Piriform Cortex Control Odor Preference Memory.

The retrieval of odor-related memories shapes animal behavior. The anterior piriform cortex (aPC) is the largest part of the olfactory cortex, and it plays important roles in olfactory processing and memory. However, it is still unclear whether specific cellular mechanisms in the aPC control olfactory memory, depending on the appetitive or aversive nature of the stimuli involved.

Endocannabinoid long-term depression revealed at medial perforant path excitatory synapses in the dentate gyrus.

The endocannabinoid system modulates synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but a link between long-term synaptic plasticity and the type 1 cannabinoid (CB) receptor at medial perforant path (MPP) synapses remains elusive. Here, immuno-electron microscopy in adult mice showed that ∼26% of the excitatory synaptic terminals in the middle 1/3 of the dentate molecular layer (DML) contained CB receptors, and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by MPP stimulation were inhibited by CB receptor activation. In addition, MPP stimulation at 10 Hz for 10 min triggered CB receptor-dependent excitatory long-term depression (eCB-eLTD) at MPP synapses of wild-type mice but not on CB-knockout mice.

High-resolution Immunoelectron Microscopy Techniques for Revealing Distinct Subcellular Type 1 Cannabinoid Receptor Domains in Brain.

Activation of type 1 cannabinoid (CB) receptors by endogenous, exogenous (cannabis derivatives) or synthetic cannabinoids (, CP 55.940, Win-2) has a wide variety of behavioral effects due to the presence of CB receptors in the brain. hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques have been crucial for defining the CB receptor expression and localization at the cellular level.