Van Sickle Marja D, Duncan Marnie, Kingsley Philip J, Mouihate Abdeslam, Urbani Paolo, Mackie Ken, Stella Nephi, Makriyannis Alexandros, Piomelli Daniele, Davison Joseph S, Marnett Lawrence J, Di Marzo Vincenzo, Pittman Quentin J, Patel Kamala D, Sharkey Keith A
Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1.
Science. 2005 Oct 14;310(5746):329-32. doi: 10.1126/science.1115740.
The presence and function of CB2 receptors in central nervous system (CNS) neurons are controversial. We report the expression of CB2 receptor messenger RNA and protein localization on brainstem neurons. These functional CB2 receptors in the brainstem were activated by a CB2 receptor agonist, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, and by elevated endogenous levels of endocannabinoids, which also act at CB1 receptors. CB2 receptors represent an alternative site of action of endocannabinoids that opens the possibility of nonpsychotropic therapeutic interventions using enhanced endocannabinoid levels in localized brain areas.
中枢神经系统（CNS）神经元中CB2受体的存在及其功能存在争议。我们报告了CB2受体信使核糖核酸的表达以及其蛋白在脑干神经元上的定位。脑干中的这些功能性CB2受体可被CB2受体激动剂2-花生四烯酸甘油酯激活，也可被内源性大麻素水平升高激活，内源性大麻素也作用于CB1受体。CB2受体代表了内源性大麻素的另一个作用位点，这为在局部脑区利用升高的内源性大麻素水平进行非精神性治疗干预开辟了可能性。
