am-281 and palmidrol

Cisplatin has been used effectively to treat a variety of cancers but its use is limited by the development of painful peripheral neuropathy. Because the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG) is anti-hyperalgesic in several preclinical models of chronic pain, the anti-hyperalgesic effect of JZL184, an inhibitor of 2-AG hydrolysis, was tested in a murine model of cisplatin-induced hyperalgesia. Systemic injection of cisplatin (1mg/kg) produced mechanical hyperalgesia when administered daily for 7 days. Daily peripheral administration of a low dose of JZL184 in conjunction with cisplatin blocked the expression of mechanical hyperalgesia. Acute injection of a cannabinoid (CB)-1 but not a CB2 receptor antagonist reversed the anti-hyperalgesic effect of JZL184 indicating that downstream activation of CB1 receptors suppressed the expression of mechanical hyperalgesia. Components of endocannabinoid signaling in plantar hind paw skin and lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) were altered by treatments with cisplatin and JZL184. Treatment with cisplatin alone reduced levels of 2-AG and AEA in skin and DRGs as well as CB2 receptor protein in skin. Combining treatment of JZL184 with cisplatin increased 2-AG in DRGs compared to cisplatin alone but had no effect on the amount of 2-AG in skin. Evidence that JZL184 decreased the uptake of [(3)H]AEA into primary cultures of DRGs at a concentration that also inhibited the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase, in conjunction with data that 2-AG mimicked the effect of JZL184 on [(3)H]AEA uptake support the conclusion that AEA most likely mediates the anti-hyperalgesic effect of JZL184 in this model.

Topics: Amides; Analgesics; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Arachidonic Acids; Benzodioxoles; Cells, Cultured; Cisplatin; Disease Models, Animal; Endocannabinoids; Ethanolamines; Ganglia, Spinal; Glycerides; Hyperalgesia; Indoles; Male; Mesencephalon; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Monoacylglycerol Lipases; Morpholines; Neuralgia; Palmitic Acids; Piperidines; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Pyrazoles; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; Skin; Spinal Cord

Immunologic activation of mast cells through the cross-linking of high affinity IgE receptors results in the release of inflammatory mediators which are important in the pathogenesis of allergic reactions. Early studies investigating the effects of palmitoylethanolamide on animal models of inflammation and on rat mast cells led to the hypothesis that endogenous cannabinoids might act as local autacoids which suppressed inflammation by reducing the activation of mast cells. However, more recent studies produced contradicting results. In order to evaluate if cannabinoid receptors are present in mast cells, we studied the effects of endocannabinoids (anandamide and palmitoylethanolamide) and synthetic cannabimimetics (CP 55,940, WIN 55,212-2 and HU-210) on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. When incubated with mast cells alone, only anandamide could induce significant level of histamine release at concentrations higher than 10(-6) M. When mast cells were activated with anti-IgE, the histamine release induced was not affected by anandamide, palmitoylethanolamide and CP 55,940. In contrast, both WIN 55,212-2 and HU-210 enhanced anti-IgE-induced histamine release at 10(-5) M and preincubation did not increase the potency. The histamine releasing action of anandamide and the enhancing effects of WIN 55,212-2 and HU-210 on anti-IgE-induced histamine release were not reduced by the cannabinoid receptor antagonists, AM 281 and AM 630. In conclusion, the present study does not support the hypothesis that cannabinoids suppress mast cell activation. Instead, some of the cannabinoid receptor-directed ligands tested enhanced mast cell activation. However, the high concentrations required and the failure of cannabinoid receptor antagonists to reverse such effects also question the existence of functional cannabinoid receptors in mast cells.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Amides; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; Arachidonic Acids; Benzoxazines; Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Dronabinol; Drug Synergism; Endocannabinoids; Ethanolamines; Histamine Release; Immunoglobulin E; Male; Mast Cells; Morpholines; Naphthalenes; Ovalbumin; Palmitic Acids; Peritoneal Cavity; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Pyrazoles; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Cannabinoid; Receptors, Drug