Biomedical subjects

Alexandros Makriyannis

Publications and source records attributed to Alexandros Makriyannis.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Drug discrimination in methamphetamine-trained monkeys: effects of monoamine transporter inhibitors.

The involvement of brain monoamine systems in the discriminative stimulus effects of methamphetamine (MA) was studied in squirrel monkeys by evaluating the effects of differentially selective monoamine uptake inhibitors alone and in combination. In monkeys discriminating i.m. injections of 0.3 mg/kg MA from saline, methamphetamine (0.01-0.3 mg/kg), and dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitors, including 1-[2-(bis(4-fluorophenyl)-methoxy)ethyl]-4-(3-phenylpropyl)piperazine (GBR 12909; 1.0-17.8 mg/kg) and its analogs AM2502 (1.0-17.8 mg/kg), AM2506 (1.0-30.0 mg/kg), AM2515 (1.0-17.8 mg/kg), and AM2517 (1.0-5.6 mg/kg), produced dose-related increases in responding on the MA-associated lever and, at the highest doses, full substitution. The time course of MA-like effects was similar for equivalent (3.0 mg/kg) doses of GBR 12909 and its most potent analog, AM2517. Unlike the DAT blockers, the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) uptake inhibitor clomipramine (1.0-10.0 mg/kg) and the selective norepinepherine (NE) uptake inhibitor desipramine (1.0-10 mg/kg) produced responding primarily on the saline lever. The selective NE uptake inhibitor nisoxetine partially substituted at the highest dose tested (10.0 mg/kg). Pretreatment with GBR 12909 or AM2517 enhanced the discriminative stimulus effects of MA, shifting the dose-effect curve leftward. The NE uptake inhibitors desipramine or nisoxetine also enhanced the discriminative stimulus effects of MA, whereas clomipramine only attenuated them. These results support the view that dopaminergic mechanisms play a prominent role in the discriminative stimulus effects of MA in monkeys, whereas involvement of serotonergic and noradrenergic systems may be limited to a modulatory role.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Discriminative stimulus effects in rats of SR-141716 (rimonabant), a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the discriminative stimulus effects of (i) the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist SR-141716 (SR, 5.6 mg/kg) and vehicle, and (ii) the cannabinoid receptor agonist Delta(9)-THC (THC, 1.8 mg/kg) and vehicle using a discriminated taste aversion (DTA) procedure. METHODS: Two groups of rats ( n=6) were trained to discriminate between these drugs and vehicle in DTA ( t'=20 min). The 30-min drinking bout of tap water following drug (SR or THC) treatment was followed by an injection of lithium chloride (LiCl, 120 mg/kg) in the experimental animals. When offered water after vehicle pretreatment, experimental animals subsequently were given IP saline (NaCl, 10 ml/kg). Post-drinking treatment for controls ( n=6) was NaCl, irrespective of the pretreatment condition (SR, THC or vehicle). Additional water was provided during the afternoon (30 min) with no other manipulations. Food was available ad lib at all times. When the discriminations were established other doses and drugs were examined ( t'=20 min). In testing there were no post-drinking treatments. RESULTS: The SR-related analog AM-251 (dose range: 1-5.6 mg/kg) substituted for SR, whereas other drugs such as the cannabinoid CB(2) receptor antagonist SR-144528 (3 and 10 mg/kg), THC (1-10 mg/kg), flumazenil (1-10 mg/kg), naloxone (1-10 mg/kg), morphine (10 and 18 mg/kg) and d-amphetamine (1 and 3 mg/kg) did not. There was a dose-related attenuation of SR-induced suppression of drinking when THC (1.8-10 mg/kg) was given together with SR (5.6 mg/kg). In the THC trained rats, SR (1-10 mg/kg), morphine (10 and 18 mg/kg) and d-amphetamine (1 and 3 mg/kg) did not substitute for THC. SR (1 mg/kg) attenuated the THC (1.8 mg/kg) induced suppression of drinking. Together with 3 mg/kg SR and 1.8 mg/kg THC, drinking was roughly equally suppressed in both the experimental group and the controls. CONCLUSION: SR-141716 induces a discriminative stimulus complex in DTA that shows potential for further examination of cannabinoid receptor antagonism.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Identification of a potent and highly efficacious, yet slowly desensitizing CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonist.

1 The relationship of agonist efficacy to the rate of G protein-coupled receptor signaling desensitization is controversial. 2 Expressing inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRKs) in Xenopus oocytes, we have devised a signaling assay that clearly identifies CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists with low intrinsic efficacy. 3 In this assay, the synthetic CB1 agonists, AM411, AM782, AM1902, AM2233 and WIN55,212-2 and the endogenous cannabinoid, 2-arachidonoyl ester, were full agonists. 4 The synthetic CB1 agonist AM356 (methanandamide), the endogenous cannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl ether, and the phytocannabinoid, Delta9THC, were partial agonists. 5 The rate of desensitization of CB1 was independent of agonist efficacy. WIN55,212-2, AM782, AM1902, AM2233, and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol ester all desensitized quickly, with desensitization rates varying from 14% min(-1) to 10% min(-1). AM356, AM411, anandamide, and Delta9THC all desensitized considerably slower, at a rate of 5% min(-1). 6 Despite high potency and efficacy, AM411 desensitized as slowly as anandamide and Delta9THC. 7 CB1 agonist efficacy and rate of desensitization are not necessarily related.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Methamphetamine discrimination and in vivo microdialysis in squirrel monkeys.

RATIONALE: Characterization of changes in dopamine activity associated with the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine (MA) and related stimulants will aid our understanding of the role of dopamine in mediating the subjective effects of this drug class. OBJECTIVES: Squirrel monkeys were studied to explore the relationship between discriminative-stimulus effects of psychomotor stimulant drugs and their ability to increase extracellular dopamine levels in the caudate nucleus. METHODS: The ability of MA, cocaine and methylphenidate (0.01-0.32 mg/kg) to produce MA-like discriminative-stimulus effects was assessed in monkeys trained to discriminate i.m. injections of 0.32 mg/kg MA from saline. In addition, the effects of a range of MA doses (0.01-0.32 mg/kg) and selected doses of cocaine, methylphenidate and the GBR 12909 analog AM2517 on extracellular dopamine in the caudate nucleus were determined by microdialysis. RESULTS: MA, cocaine and methylphenidate produced dose-related increases in responding on the MA-associated lever and fully substituted at higher doses. In microdialysis studies, doses of MA, cocaine, methylphenidate, and AM2517 that produced 100% MA-lever responding produced comparable increases in caudate dopamine (to approximately 250% of control values). However, comparable increases in extracellular dopamine also were observed following a lower dose of MA (0.1 mg/kg) that produced, on average, 42% MA-lever responding. Moreover, increases in dopamine levels following administration of 0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg MA persisted after responding on the MA-associated lever had subsided. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results support a prominent role for dopamine in MA-like discriminative-stimulus effects, but are consistent with the additional involvement of other neurochemical actions.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Bifunctional agents for reperfusion arrhythmias: novel hybrid vitamin E/class I antiarrhythmics.

We have synthesized a series of hybrid compounds combining the pharmacophoric redox moieties of vitamin E and key features responsible for the antiarrhythmic properties of the class I antiarrhythmics procainamide and lidocaine. Procainamide analogue (2a) and lidocaine analogues (14a) and (14b) are very strong inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. All analogues tested at 100 or 30 microM enhanced the post ischemic recovery without inducing ventricular fibrillations while there was no evidence in our experiments for drug-induced pro-arrhythmia. In addition, they induced a widening of the QRS intervals. Our data suggest that the efficacy of the new compounds in preventing reperfusion arrhythmias could be attributed to their combined effects involving inhibition of free radical mediated damage coupled with antiarrhythmic properties.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents↗

PubMed2003

Selective activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors suppresses hyperalgesia evoked by intradermal capsaicin.

The present studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that activation of peripheral cannabinoid CB(2) receptors would suppress hyperalgesia evoked by intradermal administration of capsaicin, the pungent ingredient in hot chili peppers. The CB(2)-selective cannabinoid agonist (2-iodo-5-nitro-phenyl)-[1-(1-methyl-piperidin-2-ylmethyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-methanone (AM1241) (33, 330 microg/kg i.p.) suppressed the development of capsaicin-evoked thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia. AM1241 also produced a dose-dependent suppression of capsaicin-evoked nocifensive behavior. The AM1241-induced suppression of each parameter of capsaicin-evoked pain behavior was completely blocked by the CB(2) antagonist N-[(1S)-endo-1,3,3-trimethyl bicycle [2.2.1] heptan-2-yl]-5-(4-chloro-3-methylphenyl)-1-(4-methylbenzyl)-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (SR144528) but not by the CB(1) antagonist N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamidehydrochloride (SR141716A). AM1241 (33 microg/kg i.pl.) suppressed capsaicin-evoked thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia after local administration to the capsaicin-treated (ipsilateral) paw but was inactive after administration to the capsaicin-untreated (contralateral) paw. Our data indicate that AM1241 suppresses capsaicin-evoked hyperalgesia and allodynia through a local site of action. These data provide evidence that actions at cannabinoid CB(2) receptors are sufficient to normalize nociceptive thresholds and produce antinociception in persistent pain states.

Analgesics↗

PubMed2003

Conformational study of lipophilic ligands in phospholipid model membrane systems by solution NMR.

Phospholipid bicelles were employed as a membrane bilayer model in the conformational studies of two lipophilic cannabinoids, delta(8)-THC and its O-methyl ether analogue, Me-Delta(8)-THC using conventional high-resolution NMR. A preparation of 8% (w/v) phospholipid concentration and a high DMPC/DHPC ratio (q = 2.0) was found to be optimal for not only effectively incorporating our ligands, but also providing a more bilayerlike environment suitable for conformational studies. While the conformational differences between the two cannabinoids could not be observed in chloroform and were barely detectable in SDS micelle solution, there is an increasing preference for the pentyl tail of Delta(8)-THC to bend toward the tricyclic ring system with increasing proportions of DMPC in the bicelle preparation. Our results highlight the advantages of exploring the conformational properties of cannabinoids using bicelle preparations as a medium that more closely resembles biological membrane bilayers and eliminates the need for isotopic labeling. This approach should also be of more general value for studying the interactions of other cannabinoids and biologically active, hydrophobic or amphipathic, small molecules with membranes.

Chloroform↗

PubMed2003

Activation of CB2 cannabinoid receptors by AM1241 inhibits experimental neuropathic pain: pain inhibition by receptors not present in the CNS.

We designed AM1241, a selective CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist, and used it to test the hypothesis that CB2 receptor activation would reverse the sensory hypersensitivity observed in neuropathic pain states. AM1241 exhibits high affinity and selectivity for CB2 receptors. It also exhibits high potency in vivo. AM1241 dose-dependently reversed tactile and thermal hypersensitivity produced by ligation of the L5 and L6 spinal nerves in rats. These effects were selectively antagonized by a CB2 but not by a CB1 receptor antagonist, suggesting that they were produced by actions of AM1241 at CB2 receptors. AM1241 was also active in blocking spinal nerve ligation-induced tactile and thermal hypersensitivity in mice lacking CB1 receptors (CB1-/- mice), confirming that AM1241 reverses sensory hypersensitivity independent of actions at CB1 receptors. These findings demonstrate a mechanism leading to the inhibition of pain, one that targets receptors localized exclusively outside the CNS. Further, they suggest the potential use of CB2 receptor-selective agonists for treatment of human neuropathic pain, a condition currently without consistently effective therapies. CB2 receptor-selective agonist medications are predicted to be without the CNS side effects that limit the effectiveness of currently available medications.

Analgesics↗

PubMed2003

Pharmacophoric requirements for the cannabinoid side chain. Probing the cannabinoid receptor subsite at C1'.

Earlier work from our laboratories has provided evidence for the existence of a subsite within the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor binding domain corresponding to substituents at the benzylic side chain position of classical cannabinoids. The existence and stereochemical features of this subsite have now been probed through the synthesis of a novel series of (-)-Delta(8)-tetrahydrocannabinol analogues bearing C1'-ring substituents. Of the compounds described here, those with C1'-dithiolane (1c), C1'-dioxolane (2d), and cyclopentyl (2a) substituents exhibited the highest affinities for CB1 and CB2. We used molecular modeling approaches to better define the stereochemical limits of the putative subsite. In vitro pharmacological testing found 1c to be a potent CB1 agonist.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

(R)-Methanandamide and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced operant rate decreases in rats are not readily antagonized by SR-141716A.

The current study examined the interaction between the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor agonists Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol and (R)-methanandamide in combination with the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist SR-141716A (N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chloro-phenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide HCl) in rats responding for food on a fixed ratio (FR-10) schedule of food reinforcement. The study provided only limited evidence for antagonism by SR-141716A (at 1 mg/kg but not with 0.3, 3 and 10 mg/kg) of the rate suppressant effects induced by the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor agonist Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (and only at the single dose of 5.6 mg/kg Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol). (R)-Methanandamide in combination with SR-141716A resulted in a greater rate suppression compared to that induced by (R)-methanandamide alone. Thus, SR-141716A augmented the rate-decreasing effects of (R)-methanandamide and only minimally altered the rate-decreasing effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. Additionally, high doses (10 and 30 mg/kg) of SR-141716 singly consistently suppressed the rate of responding. The current results coupled with our previous data examining combinations of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol or (R)-methanandamide and SR-141716 (see text) underscore pharmacological/behavioral differences (whether quantitative or qualitative) between the cannabinoid CB(1) agonists (R)-methanandamide and Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol revealed by their interactions with the cannabinoid CB(1) antagonist SR-141716.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Antileishmanial ring-substituted ether phospholipids.

Three series of ring-substituted ether phospholipids were synthesized carrying N,N,N-trimethylammonium, N-methylpiperidino, or N-methylmorpholino headgroups. The first series is substituted by 2-cyclohexyloxyethyl or 2-(4-alkylidenecyclohexyloxy)ethyl groups, the second series by cyclohexylidenealkyl or adamantylidenealkyl moieties, and the third series by 2-aryloxyethyl or 6-aryloxyhexyl groups in the alkyl portion of the molecule. The antileishmanial activity of the new compounds was evaluated in vitro against the promastigote forms of L. donovani and L. infantum using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)-based microassay as a marker of cell viability. Analogues 12, 15, 24, 30, 32, 41, 43, and 45 were more potent than the control compound miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine) against both L. donovani and L. infantum while, derivatives 13 and 42 were equipotent to miltefosine. Analogues 16, 17, 19, 20 were more potent than miltefosine against L. infantumand compounds 27, 31, 44 were more active than miltefosine against L. donovani. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to probe the role of individual ether phospholipids on the physicochemical properties of model membranes. The DSC scans showed that the active compounds have a more profound effect on the thermotropic properties of model membrane bilayers than the less active ones.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Synthesis of covalent probes for the radiolabeling of the cannabinoid receptor.

The main psychoactive constituent of marijuana, (-)-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, produces most of its physiological effects by interacting with the CB1 cannabinoid receptor, a membrane protein belonging to the large superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors. The 3-D structure of the receptor binding site is of value in the design of novel medications for a variety of therapeutic indications. To obtain information on the amino acid residues associated with this binding site, we have designed and synthesized a cannabinergic CB1 ligand prototype carrying an electrophilic isothiocyanato group capable of reacting covalently with amino acid residues bearing thiol or unprotonated amino groups. The ligand also incorporates an iodide atom, which can serve as a high-activity radiolabel. The key step in our synthesis involves a rapid intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a transiently formed o-quinone methide, which proceeds stereospecifically with the formation of the tricyclic cannabinoid template. Introduction of the iodo group is the last step in the sequence and is compatible with the use of (125)I-radiolabel.

Cannabinoids↗

PubMed2003

The cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR-141716 does not readily antagonize open-field effects induced by the cannabinoid receptor agonist (R)-methanandamide in rats.

This study examined the effects of the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor agonist (R)-methanandamide and the CB(1) receptor antagonist SR-141716 on open-field behaviors in rats. Animals were examined after administration of (R)-methanandamide (dose range 10 to 30 mg/kg) plus vehicle, and the two drugs in combination; the dose range of SR-141716 was 0.3 to 5.6 mg/kg. Injections were given intraperitoneally 20 min prior to initial testing. Additional exposures to the open-field arena occurred for the groups treated with 30 mg/kg (R)-methanandamide at 60 and 120 min post administration. There was a dose-related suppression of ambulation (horizontal activity) and rearing (vertical activity) after (R)-methanandamide administration. Coadministration of SR-141716 did not counteract the suppression induced by 10 and 18 mg/kg (R)-methanandamide but rather tended to augment it, especially with regard to ambulation using SR-141716 doses of 1 mg/kg and up. The latency to leave the starting area in the center of the field was significantly elevated by 30 mg/kg (R)-methanandamide. This effect was completely blocked by SR-141716. With increasing doses of SR-141716, there was an increase in grooming and scratching. Generally, the strongest effects occurred 20 min post administration with the exception of grooming, which reached maximum at 60 min post. Differences in the number of circlings, vocalizations, urination, and defecation generally did not differ clearly among treatments. These results coupled with previous open-field data examining combinations of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) and SR-141716 [Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 73 (2002) 911] underscore pharmacological differences between (R)-methanandamide and Delta(9)-THC revealed by their interactions with SR-141716.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonists: pain relief without psychoactive effects?

Cannabinoid receptor agonists significantly diminish pain responses in animal models; however, they exhibit only modest analgesic effects in humans. The relative lack of efficacy in man may be because of the dose limitations imposed by psychoactive side effects. Cannabinoid agonists that selectively target CB(2) (peripheral) cannabinoid receptors should be free of psychoactive effects, perhaps allowing for more effective dosing. CB(2) receptor activation inhibits acute, inflammatory and neuropathic pain responses in animal models. In preclinical studies, CB(2) receptor agonists do not produce central nervous system effects. Therefore, they show promise for the treatment of acute and chronic pain without psychoactive effects.

Analgesics↗

PubMed2003

Compounds acting at the endocannabinoid and/or endovanilloid systems reduce hyperkinesia in a rat model of Huntington's disease.

We have recently reported that the administration of AM404, an inhibitor of the endocannabinoid re-uptake process, which also has affinity for the vanilloid VR1 receptors, is able to reduce hyperkinesia, and causes recovery from neurochemical deficits, in a rat model of Huntington's disease (HD) generated by bilateral intrastriatal injections of 3-nitropropionic acid (3NP). In the present study, we wanted to explore the mechanism(s) by which AM404 produces its antihyperkinetic effect in 3NP-lesioned rats by employing several experimental approaches. First, we tried to block the effects of AM404 with selective antagonists for the CB1 or VR1 receptors, i.e. SR141716A and capsazepine, respectively. We found that the reduction caused by AM404 of the increased ambulation exhibited by 3NP-lesioned rats in the open-field test was reversed when the animals had been pre-treated with capsazepine but not with SR141716A, thus suggesting a major role of VR1 receptors in the antihyperkinetic effects of AM404. However, despite the lack of behavioral effects of the CB1 receptor antagonist, the pretreatment with this compound abolished the recovery of neurochemical [gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine] deficits in the caudate- putamen caused by AM404, as also did capsazepine. In a second group of studies, we wanted to explore the potential antihyperkinetic effects of various compounds which, compared to AM404, exhibit more selectivity for either the endovanilloid or the endocannabinoid systems. First, we tested VDM11 or AM374, two selective inhibitors or the endocannabinoid re-uptake or hydrolysis, respectively. Both compounds were mostly unable to reduce hyperkinesia in 3NP-lesioned rats, although VDM11 produced a certain motor depression, and AM374 exhibited a trend to stimulate ambulation, in control rats. We also tested the effects of selective direct agonists for VR1 (capsaicin) or CB1 (CP55,940) receptors. Capsaicin exhibited a strong antihyperkinetic activity and, moreover, was able to attenuate the reductions in dopamine and GABA transmission provoked by the 3NP lesion, whereas CP55,940 had also antihyperkinetic activity but was unable to cause recovery of either dopamine or GABA deficits in the basal ganglia. In summary, our data indicate a major role for VR1 receptors, as compared to CB1 receptors, in the antihyperkinetic effects and the recovery of neurochemical deficits caused in 3NP-lesioned rats by compounds that activate both CB1 and VR1 receptors, either directly or via manipulation of the levels of endogenous agonists.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

PubMed2003

Inhibition of inflammatory hyperalgesia by activation of peripheral CB2 cannabinoid receptors.

BACKGROUND: Cannabinoid receptor agonists inhibit inflammatory hyperalgesia in animal models. Nonselective cannabinoid receptor agonists also produce central nervous system (CNS) side effects. Agonists selective for CB2 cannabinoid receptors, which are not found in the CNS, do not produce the CNS effects typical of nonselective cannabinoid receptor agonists but do inhibit acute nociception. The authors used the CB2 receptor-selective agonist AM1241 to test the hypothesis that selective activation of peripheral CB2 receptors inhibits inflammatory hyperalgesia. METHODS: Rats were injected in the hind paw with carrageenan or capsaicin. Paw withdrawal latencies were measured using a focused thermal stimulus. The effects of peripheral CB2 receptor activation were determined by using local injection of AM1241. CB2 receptor mediation of the actions of AM1241 was shown by using the CB2 receptor-selective antagonist AM630 and the CB1 receptor-selective antagonist AM251. RESULTS: AM1241 fully reversed carrageenan-induced inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia when injected into the inflamed paw. In contrast, AM1241 injected into the contralateral paw had no effect, showing that its effects were local. AM1241 also reversed the local edema produced by hind paw carrageenan injection. The effects of AM1241 were reversed by the CB2 receptor-selective antagonist AM630, but not by the CB1 receptor-selective antagonist AM251. AM1241 also inhibited flinching and thermal hyperalgesia produced by hind paw capsaicin injection. CONCLUSIONS: Local, peripheral CB2 receptor activation inhibits inflammation and inflammatory hyperalgesia. These results suggest that peripheral CB2 receptors may be an appropriate target for eliciting relief of inflammatory pain without the CNS effects of nonselective cannabinoid receptor agonists.

Analgesics↗

PubMed2002

Cannabinergic ligands.

The understanding of the pharmacology surrounding the cannabinergic system has seen many advances since the discovery of the CB1 receptor in the mammalian brain and the CB2 receptor in the periphery. Among these advances is the discovery of the endogenous ligands arachidonoylethanolamide (anandamide) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol amide (2-AG), which are selective agonists for the CB1 and CB2 receptors, respectively. These endogenous neuromodulators involved in the cannabinergic system are thought to be produced on demand and are metabolized by the enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAG lipase). Recently, we characterized a reuptake system that facilitates the transport of anandamide across the cell membrane and subsequently developed selective inhibitors of this transport, which have been found to have therapeutic potential as analgesic and peripheral vasodilators. The cannabinergic proteins currently being explored, which include the CB1 and CB2 receptors, FAAH and the anandamide transporter, are excellent targets for the development of therapeutically useful drugs for a range of conditions including pain, loss of appetite, immunosuppression, peripheral vascular disease and motor disorders. As cannabinoid research has progressed, various potent and selective cannabimimetic ligands, targeting these four cannabinoid proteins, have been designed and synthesized. Many of these ligands serve as important molecular probes, providing structural information regarding the binding sites of the cannabinergic proteins, as well as pharmacological tools, which have been playing pivotal roles in research aimed at understanding the biochemical and physiological aspects of the endocannabinoid system. This review will focus on some of the current cannabinergic ligands and probes and their pharmacological and therapeutic potential.

Amidohydrolases↗

PubMed2002

In vivo imaging of the brain cannabinoid receptor.

The CB1 cannabinoid receptor is expressed in the brain at levels sufficient to serve as potential target for in vivo imaging using positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography methodology. To date, the most promising radioligands for the in vivo imaging of this receptor have structures based on that of the cannabinoid antagonist, SR141716A. Rodent data obtained using these in vivo radiotracers has demonstrated that both the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cannabinoids occur at very low levels of receptor occupancy. More recently, an agonist radiotracer based on the structure of aminoalkylindole cannabinoids has also been examined for in vivo labeling of CB1 receptors. Although rodent studies have indicated that in vivo imaging of CB1 receptors is feasible, at the present time this receptor has still to be successful imaged in a human PET study.

Animals↗