Julie Gardener
New Member
Endocannabinoid metabolism in human glioblastomas and meningiomas compared to human non-tumour brain tissue
Gitte Petersen, Birthe Moesgaard, Patricia C. Schmid, Harald H. O. Schmid, Helle Broholm,Michael Kosteljanetz and Harald S. Hanse
Journal of Neurochemistry, 2005
Abstract
The endogenous levels of the two cannabinoid receptor ligands 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and anandamide, and their respective congeners, monoacyl glycerols and N-acylethanolamines, as well as the phospholipid precursors of N-acylethanolamines, were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in glioblastoma (WHO grade IV) tissue and meningioma (WHO grade I) tissue and compared with human non-tumour brain tissue. Furthermore, the metabolic turnover of N-acylethanolamines was compared by
measurements of the enzymatic activity of N-acyltransferase, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolysing phospholipase D and fatty acid amide hydrolase in the same three types of tissue. Glioblastomas were characterized by enhanced levels of N-acylethanolamines (eightfold, 128 ± 59 pmol/lmol lipid phosphorus) including anandamide (17-fold, 4.6 ± 3.1
pmol/lmol lipid phosphorus) and several species of N acylphosphatidylethanolamines (three to eightfold). This waaccompanied by a more than 60% reduction in the enzyme activities of N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolysing phospholipase D and fatty acid amide hydrolase. By contrast, meningiomas were characterized by a massively
enhanced level of 2-monoacyl glycerols (20-fold, 2293 ± 361 pmol/lmol lipid phosphorus) including 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (20-fold, 1524 ± 361 pmol/lmol lipid phosphorus). This was accompanied by an enhanced in vitro conversion of phosphatidylcholine to monoacyl glycerol (fivefold). The enhanced level of the 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines detected in the two types of tumour tissue may possibly act as endogenous
anti-tumour mediators by stimulation of both cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid receptor-mediated mechanisms.
Source with Charts and Graphs: Endocannabinoid metabolism in human glioblastomas and meningiomas compared to human non-tumour brain tissue
