title: Rhythmic control of endocannabinoids in the rat pineal gland.
abstract: Endocannabinoids modulate neuroendocrine networks by directly targeting cannabinoid receptors. The time-hormone melatonin synchronizes these networks with external light condition and guarantees time-sensitive and ecologically well-adapted behaviors. Here, the endocannabinoid arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA) showed rhythmic changes in rat pineal glands with higher levels during the light-period and reduced amounts at the onset of darkness. Norepinephrine, the essential stimulus for nocturnal melatonin biosynthesis, acutely down-regulated AEA and other endocannabinoids in cultured pineal glands. These temporal dynamics suggest that AEA exerts time-dependent autocrine and/or paracrine functions within the pineal. Moreover, endocananbinoids may be released from the pineal into the CSF or blood stream.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Institut für Anatomie II, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität , Frankfurt am Main , Germany .
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Nerea
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferreirós
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geisslinger
authors.forename: Faramarz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dehghani
authors.forename: Horst-Werner
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Korf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003624:Darkness; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D017440:Photoperiod; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; C078814:anandamide
keywords: Arachidonoyl ethanolamide; cannabinoid receptor; diurnal rhythm; endocannabinoids; pineal gland