title: Characterisation of the endocannabinoid system in rat haemochorial placenta.
abstract: Trophoblast cells that comprise the placenta play a crucial role in the complex cross-talk between fetus and maternal tissues. Although anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, the best studied endocannabinoids, affect trophoblast attachment and outgrowth, the functional significance of the endocannabinoid system in the development of placenta has not been established. We investigated the correlation between endocannabinoid levels and the pattern of expression of the receptors and metabolic enzymes of the endocannabinoid system during rat placental development. Here, we showed that all the endocannabinoid machinery is dynamically expressed in the functionally distinct basal and labyrinth zones of the rat placenta. Indeed, endocannabinoid levels are shown to increase with the progression of pregnancy. Together, these data support a role for the endocannabinoid system in normal placental function and evidence for a potential novel cellular target for the deleterious action of cannabis-derived compounds during the second half of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Bruno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Correia-da-Silva
authors.forename: Anthony H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Patricia M W
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Timothy H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Marczylo
authors.forename: Justin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Konje
authors.forename: Natércia A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D010929:Placentation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000235:genetics; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / Q000235:genetics; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C469526:Cnr2 protein, rat; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C493922:Trpv1 protein, rat; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat