2-Arachidonoylglycerol, an endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonist: identification as one of the major species of monoacylglycerols in various rat tissues, and evidence for its generation through CA2+-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
The molecular species compositions of monoacylglycerols obtained from various rat tissues were examined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. We confirmed that 2-arachidonoylglycerol, an endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonist, is one of the most abundant molecular species of monoacylglycerols in the brain. Substantial amounts of 2-arachidonoylglycerol were also found in the liver, spleen, lung and kidney, but the levels were considerably lower than that in the brain. We found that a small amount of 2-arachidonoylglycerol was generated in a brain homogenate during incubation in the absence of Ca2+. Importantly, the generation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol was markedly augmented in the presence of Ca2+, suggesting that Ca2+ plays a key role in regulation of the generation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol in this tissue.
Kondo
S
S
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Sagamiko, Kanagawa, Japan.
Kondo
H
H
Nakane
S
S
Kodaka
T
T
Tokumura
A
A
Waku
K
K
Sugiura
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005989:Glycerides / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000819:agonists*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate; D002118:Calcium