title: How lipophilic cannabinergic ligands reach their receptor sites.
abstract: It is postulated that lipophilic ligands reach their sites of action on membrane-bound functional proteins through fast lateral diffusion across the membrane bilayer. We have shown using NMR experiments that such ligands when incorporated in a membrane system assume a preferred orientation and conformation. While occupying a specific location within the bilayer, these molecules undergo fast lateral diffusion which allows them to engage in productive interactions with their respective protein sites of action. The proposed model is discussed using a group of classical and non-classical cannabinoids as well as the endogenous cannabinoid ligand anandamide.
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Discovery, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, 116 Mugar Life Sciences Building, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. a.makriyannis@neu.edu
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makriyannis
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000737:chemistry; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000737:chemistry; D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D002186:Cannabinoids; D008024:Ligands; D008051:Lipid Bilayers