Anandamide and neutrophil function in patients with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common stress-related painful disorder. There is considerable evidence of neuroimmunologic alterations in FM which may be the consequence of chronic stress and pain or causally involved in the development of this disorder. The endocannabinoid system has been shown to play a pivotal role in mammalian nociception, is activated under stressful conditions and can be an important signaling pathway for immune modulation. The endocannabinoid system could therefore be involved in the complex pathophysiology of FM. We tested this hypothesis by evaluating the effects of stress hormones and the endocannabinoid anandamide on neutrophil function in patients with FM. We determined plasma levels of catecholamines, cortisol and anandamide in 22 patients with primary FM and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Neutrophil function was characterized by measuring the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) release (oxidative stress) and the ingestion capabilities of neutrophils (microbicidal function). FM patients had significantly higher norepinephrine and anandamide plasma levels. Neutrophils of FM patients showed an elevated spontaneous H2O2 production. The ability of neutrophils to adhere was negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels. Adhesion and phagocytosis capabilities of neutrophils correlated positively with anandamide plasma levels. In conclusion, patients with FM might benefit from pharmacologic manipulation of endocannabinoid signaling which should be tested in controlled studies.
Kaufmann
Ines
I
Clinic of Anaesthesiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81366 Munich, Germany.
Schelling
Gustav
G
Eisner
Christoph
C
Richter
Hans Peter
HP
Krauseneck
Till
T
Vogeser
Michael
M
Hauer
Daniela
D
Campolongo
Patrizia
P
Chouker
Alexander
A
Beyer
Antje
A
Thiel
Manfred
M
D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010587:Phagocytosis; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012107:Research Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015054:Zymosan / Q000378:metabolism
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D015054:Zymosan; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C078814:anandamide; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine