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Molecular organization of the endocannabinoid signaling system in the superficial spinal dorsal horn of rodents
Author(s) -
Antal Miklos
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.535.1
Subject(s) - endocannabinoid system , anandamide , neuroscience , cannabinoid receptor , spinal cord , biological neural network , dorsum , cannabinoid , chemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , receptor , biochemistry , agonist
Although it is generally accepted that the endocannabinoid system plays important roles in spinal pain processing, the molecular organization of the endocannabinoid signaling system in the superficial spinal dorsal horn is poorly defined that renders the interpretation of the effect of cannabinoids on pain processing spinal neural circuits dubious. Thus, using immunocytochemical methods at the light and electron microscopic levels, we investigated in the superficial spinal dorsal horn the cellular distribution of CB1‐Rs, as well as DGLá, NAPE‐PLD, enzymes synthesizing the two major endocannabinoids, 2‐AG and anandamide, respectively, as well as MGL, enzyme terminating the activity of 2‐AG. Our results suggest that the activity dependent release of endocannabinoids activates a complex signaling mechanism in pain processing spinal neural circuits into which both neurons and glial cells may contribute. The contrasting distribution of CB1‐Rs and the enzymes synthesizing and degrading endogenous cannabinoids indicate that endocannabinoid signaling mechanisms may evoke both short and long lasting modulation of neural activities underlying pain processing in the superficial spinal dorsal horn.