title: Alteration of endocannabinoid system in human gliomas.
abstract: Endocannabinoids are neuromodulatory lipids that mediate the central and peripheral neural functions. Endocannabinoids have demonstrated their anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic properties in a series of studies. In the present study, we investigated the levels of two major endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), and their receptors, CB1 and CB2, in human low grade glioma (WHO grade I-II) tissues, high grade glioma (WHO grade III-IV) tissues, and non-tumor brain tissue controls. We also measured the expressions and activities of the enzymes responsible for anandamide and 2-AG biosynthesis and degradation, that is, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolysing phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), and diacylglycerol lipase-alpha (DGL), in the same samples. Liquid chromatography-mass spectometry analysis showed that the levels of anandamide decreased, whereas the levels of 2-AG increased in glioma tissues, comparing to the non-tumor controls. The expression levels and activities of NAPE-PLD, FAAH and MGL also decreased in glioma tissues. Furthermore, quantitative-PCR analysis and western-blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of cananbinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, were elevated in human glioma tissues. The changes of anandamide and 2-AG contents in different stages of gliomas may qualify them as the potential endogenous biomarkers for glial tumor malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Xiyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Changzhen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Baoying
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: ZhiXiong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005989:Glycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014316:Tritium / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D014316:Tritium; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate; C078814:anandamide