DETECTION OF AN ENDOGENOUS CANNABIMIMETIC MOLECULE, 2-ARACHIDONOYLGLYCEROL, AND CANNABINOID CB1 RECEPTOR MESSENGER-RNA IN HUMAN VASCULAR CELLS - IS 2-ARACHIDONOYLGLYCEROL A POSSIBLE VASOMODULATOR
T. Sugiura et al., DETECTION OF AN ENDOGENOUS CANNABIMIMETIC MOLECULE, 2-ARACHIDONOYLGLYCEROL, AND CANNABINOID CB1 RECEPTOR MESSENGER-RNA IN HUMAN VASCULAR CELLS - IS 2-ARACHIDONOYLGLYCEROL A POSSIBLE VASOMODULATOR, Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 243(3), 1998, pp. 838-843
Human vascular endothelial cells were found to generate and release 2-
arachidonoylglycerol, an endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligand, upon
stimulation with thrombin or A23187. We confirmed that vascular smooth
muscle cells as well as endothelial cells possess cannabinoid CB1 rec
eptor mRNA. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol, generated in vascular tissues, may
play an important role in modulating vascular tone through acting on
the cannabinoid CB1 receptor expressed on vascular smooth muscle cells
, endothelial cells as well as peripheral nerve terminals. (C) 1998 Ac
ademic Press.