title: Endocannabinoid system and drug addiction: new insights from mutant mice approaches.
abstract: The involvement of the endocannabinoid system in drug addiction was initially studied by the use of compounds with different affinities for each cannabinoid receptor or for the proteins involved in endocannabinoids inactivation. The generation of genetically modified mice with selective mutations in these endocannabinoid system components has now provided important advances in establishing their specific contribution to drug addiction. These genetic tools have identified the particular interest of CB1 cannabinoid receptor and endogenous anandamide as potential targets for drug addiction treatment. Novel genetic tools will allow determining if the modulation of CB2 cannabinoid receptor activity and 2-arachidonoylglycerol tone can also have an important therapeutic relevance for drug addiction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. rafael.maldonado@upf.edu
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robledo
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berrendero
mesh_terms: D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008994:Monoacylglycerol Lipases / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000235:genetics*; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / Q000235:genetics; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
chemical_list: D000581:Amidohydrolases; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D008994:Monoacylglycerol Lipases; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases