title: Chronic ethanol inhibits the anandamide transport and increases extracellular anandamide levels in cerebellar granule neurons.
abstract: Ethanol increases extracellular anandamide levels in neuronal cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which this occurs are unknown. Chronic exposure of cerebellar granule neurons to ethanol increased the levels of anandamide accumulated in the cellular medium. Anandamide uptake was saturable and was inhibited (30% at 3 min) in response to chronic exposure to ethanol. Chronic ethanol treatment did not alter the K(m), but significantly decreased V(max) of anandamide transport (33%) (P<0.0001). Fatty acid amide hydrolase activity was not affected by chronic ethanol treatment. Anandamide transport processes are independent of cannabinoid CB1 receptor, as cannabinoid CB1 receptor knockout mice exhibited time-dependent anandamide transport and cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists did not alter the effects of chronic ethanol on anandamide transport. Furthermore, anandamide transport was inhibited by acute ethanol in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, acute ethanol-induced inhibition of anandamide transport was abolished in neurons exposed to chronic ethanol, suggesting that the anandamide transport processes may play a role in the development of long-term cellular tolerance to ethanol.
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Balapal S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Basavarajappa
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Basalingappa L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hungund
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport; D015153:Blotting, Western; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D000431:Ethanol; C078814:anandamide