title: Selective ligands and cellular effectors of a G protein-coupled endothelial cannabinoid receptor.
abstract: The cannabinoid analog abnormal cannabidiol [abn-cbd; (-)-4-(3-3,4-trans-p-menthadien-[1,8]-yl)-olivetol] does not bind to CB(1) or CB(2) receptors, yet it acts as a full agonist in relaxing rat isolated mesenteric artery segments. Vasorelaxation by abn-cbd is endothelium-dependent, pertussis toxin-sensitive, and is inhibited by the BK(Ca) channel inhibitor charybdotoxin, but not by the nitric-oxide synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester or by the vanilloid VR1 receptor antagonist capsazepine. The cannabidiol analog O-1918 does not bind to CB(1) or CB(2) receptors and does not cause vasorelaxation at concentrations up to 30 microM, but it does cause concentration-dependent (1-30 microM) inhibition of the vasorelaxant effects of abn-cbd and anandamide. In anesthetized mice, O-1918 dose-dependently inhibits the hypotensive effect of abn-cbd but not the hypotensive effect of the CB(1) receptor agonist (-)-11-OH-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol dimethylheptyl. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, abn-cbd induces phosphorylation of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein kinase B/Akt, which is inhibited by O-1918, by pertussis toxin or by phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3) kinase inhibitors. These findings indicate that abn-cbd is a selective agonist and that O-1918 is a selective, silent antagonist of an endothelial "anandamide receptor", which is distinct from CB(1) or CB(2) receptors and is coupled through G(i)/G(o) to the PI3 kinase/Akt signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Offertáler
authors.forename: Fong-Ming
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bátkai
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Begg
authors.forename: Raj K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Razdan
authors.forename: Billy R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Bukoski
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C469526:Cnr2 protein, rat; D008024:Ligands; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D002185:Cannabidiol; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins