2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is a component of the endocannabinoid receptor pathway and is primarily hydrolyzed by monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) in vivo. We found that the non-specific serine esterase, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), can hydrolyze 2-AG with reasonable affinity and may present a new compensatory mechanism for endocannabinoid regulation. In vitro hydrolysis reactions of 2-AG with equine BChE were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) positive/negative electrospray ionization (ESI±) to measure the formation of arachidonic acid (AA) and the loss of 2-AG over time (min). The resulting Michaelis-Menten approximations reveal that BChE has affinity towards 2-AG in phosphate buffer at neutral pH (7.4). The calculated Vmax, Km and kcat were 12.1nmols(-1), 57.5μM, and 0.074s(-1), respectively, which produced a diffusion-controlled rate of association (kcat/Km) of 1.3×10(3)M(-1)s(-1). Human BChE 2-AG hydrolysis was measured by immunoprecipitating BChE from fresh plasma and monitoring 2-AG loss and AA formation over time. These findings show that BChE can hydrolyze 2-AG which may be evidence of a more specific role for BChE in endocannabinoid regulation.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2013.05.003 | DOI Listing |
Curr Top Dev Biol
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology and Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
Alterations in tissue expression levels of both retinol-binding protein 2 (RBP2) and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) have been associated with metabolic disease, specifically with obesity, glucose intolerance and hepatic steatosis. Our laboratories have shown that this involves novel pathways not previously considered as possible linkages between impaired retinoid metabolism and metabolic disease development. We have established both biochemically and structurally that RBP2 binds with very high affinity to very long-chain unsaturated 2-monoacylglycerols like the canonical endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and other endocannabinoid-like substances.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHormones (Athens)
January 2025
LABIOEX-Exercise Biology Lab, Department of Health Sciences, UFSC-Federal University of Santa Catarina, Araranguá, SC, Brazil.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS), regulating such processes as energy homeostasis, inflammation, and muscle function, centers around cannabinoid receptors, including CB1. These receptors are mainly located in the central nervous system and skeletal muscles. Hyperactivity of CB1 receptors is linked to metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets for muscle hypertrophy and metabolic health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuropharmacology
January 2025
Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina (IBIMA-Plataforma BIONAND), 29590 Málaga, Spain; Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain. Electronic address:
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and the endocannabinoid system (ECS) are critical lipid signaling pathways involved in emotional regulation and behavior. Despite their interconnected roles and shared metabolic pathways, the specific contributions of LPA signaling through the LPA receptor to stress-related disorders remain poorly understood. This study investigates the effects of LPA receptor deficiency on emotional behavior and neurotransmitter-related gene expression, with a focus on sex-specific differences, using maLPA-null mice of both sexes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacol Ther
January 2025
Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address:
While benzodiazepines have been a mainstay of the pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders, their short-term efficacy and risk of abuse have driven the exploration of alternative treatment approaches. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system has emerged as a key modulator of anxiety-related processes, with evidence suggesting dynamic interactions between the eCB system and the GABAergic system, the primary target of benzodiazepines. According to the existing literature, the activation of the cannabinoid receptors has been shown to exert anxiolytic effects, while their blockade or genetic deletion results in heightened anxiety-like responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFiScience
January 2025
Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Alterations to the excitation/inhibition (E/I) ratio are postulated to underlie behavioral phenotypes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients and mouse models. However, in wild type mice the E/I ratio is not constant, but instead oscillates across the 24-h day. Therefore, we tested whether E/I regulation, rather than the overall E/I ratio, is disrupted in two ASD-related mouse lines: KO and BTBR, models of syndromic and idiopathic ASD, respectively.
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