title: Endocannabinoid and cannabinoid-like fatty acid amide levels correlate with pain-related symptoms in patients with IBS-D and IBS-C: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, associated with alterations of bowel function, abdominal pain and other symptoms related to the GI tract. Recently the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) was shown to be involved in the physiological and pathophysiological control of the GI function. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether IBS defining symptoms correlate with changes in endocannabinoids or cannabinoid like fatty acid levels in IBS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  AEA, 2-AG, OEA and PEA plasma levels were determined in diarrhoea-predominant (IBS-D) and constipation-predominant (IBS-C) patients and were compared to healthy subjects, following the establishment of correlations between biolipid contents and disease symptoms. FAAH mRNA levels were evaluated in colonic biopsies from IBS-D and IBS-C patients and matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with IBS-D had higher levels of 2AG and lower levels of OEA and PEA. In contrast, patients with IBS-C had higher levels of OEA. Multivariate analysis found that lower PEA levels are associated with cramping abdominal pain. FAAH mRNA levels were lower in patients with IBS-C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IBS subtypes and their symptoms show distinct alterations of endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid-like fatty acid levels. These changes may partially result from reduced FAAH expression. The here reported changes support the notion that the ECS is involved in the pathophysiology of IBS and the development of IBS symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ; Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fichna
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jodianne T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Malvina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papanastasiou
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Subramanian K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Vadivel
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Mathematics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oprocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sałaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Tract Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mokrowiecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Cygankiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Zakrzewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Tract Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małecka-Panas
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Wanda M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Krajewska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kościelniak
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makriyannis
authors.affiliation: Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Storr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000577:Amides / Q000097:blood*; D003248:Constipation / Q000097:blood; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000097:blood*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005227:Fatty Acids