title: An immunohistochemical study of the thyroid parafollicular (C) cells in rats treated with cannabinoids - preliminary investigations.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a single intraperitoneal injection of a stable analogue of endogenous cannabinoid anandamide - R-(+)-methanandamide (2.5 mg/kg) and CP 55,940 (0.25 mg/kg), an egzogenous CB1 receptor-agonist, on the calcitonin (CT) immunoreactivity of the thyroid parafollicular (C) cells. Four hours after injection with both cannabinoids CT immunoreactivity, evaluated with an avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method by means of rabbit antibodies against CT, was seen to be enhanced in the parafollicular cells in comparison to those of the control group. In thyroids taken from cannabinoid-treated rats the majority of follicles, particularly those located peripherally were large in size, and had low epithelium. Moreover, dilatation of the blood vessels was observed. These changes were accompanied by a significant decrease in CT plasma level, without changes in calcium concentrations. This is the first evidence that a single injection of the cannabinoids R-(+)-methanandamide and CP 55,940 significantly decreases the activity of thyroid C cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Experimental Pathology, Medical University, Białystok, Poland. mmw@amb.edu.pl
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Winnicka
authors.forename: Robert Ł
authors.initials: RŁ
authors.lastname: Zbucki R
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dadan
authors.forename: Bogusław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sawicki
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hryniewicz
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosiorek
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bialuk
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Puchalski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D002186:Cannabinoids; D003511:Cyclohexanols; C088155:methanandamide; C054649:3-(2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)phenyl)-4-(3-hydroxypropyl)cyclohexanol; D002116:Calcitonin