Inhibition of sea urchin fertilization by fatty acid ethanolamides and cannabinoids

The influence of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid ethanolamides as well as Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), WIN 55,212-2 and cannabin oid CB1 receptor antagonist SR 141716 on sea urchin fertilization was studi ed. The ethanolamides of arachidonic, oleic and linoleic acids but not satu rated fatty acid (C-14-C-20) derivatives inhibited fertilization when pre-i ncubated with sperm cells. Delta(9)-THC and WIN 55,212-2 also inhibited fer tilization, Delta(9)-THC being ten times as potent as WIN 55,212-2. Selecti ve cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist SR 141716 also blocked fertilization and did not antagonize the action of Delta(9)-THC. The obtained results in dicate that different unsaturated fatty acid ethanolamides may control sea urchin fertilization, and that sea urchin sperm cell cannabinoid receptor m ay differ from the known cannabinoid receptor subtypes. (C) 1999 Elsevier S cience Inc. All rights reserved.