Endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists inhibit neurogenic inflammations

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BACKGROUND:
Although neurogenic inflammation via the activation of C fibers in the airway must have an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, their regulatory mechanism remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE:
The pharmacological profiles of endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists on the activation of C fibers in airway tissues were investigated and the mechanisms how cannabinoids regulate airway inflammatory reactions were clarified.

METHODS:
The effects of endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists on electrical field stimulation-induced bronchial smooth muscle contraction, capsaicin-induced bronchoconstriction and capsaicin-induced substance P release in guinea pig airway tissues were investigated. The influences of cannabinoid receptor antagonists and K+ channel blockers to the effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists on these respiratory reactions were examined.

RESULTS:
Both endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists, anandamide and palmitoylethanolamide, inhibited electrical field stimulation-induced guinea pig bronchial smooth muscle contraction, but not neurokinin A-induced contraction. A cannabinoid CB2 antagonist, SR 144528, reduced the inhibitory effect of endogenous agonists, but not a cannabinoid CB1 antagonist, SR 141716A. Inhibitory effects of agonists were also reduced by the pretreatment of large conductance Ca2+ -activated K+ channel (maxi-K+ channel) blockers, iberiotoxin and charybdotoxin, but not by other K+ channel blockers, dendrotoxin or glibenclamide. Anandamide and palmitoylethanolamide blocked the capsaicin-induced release of substance P-like immunoreactivity from guinea pig airway tissues. Additionally, intravenous injection of palmitoylethanolamide dose-dependently inhibited capsaicin-induced guinea pig bronchoconstriction, but not neurokinin A-induced reaction. However, anandamide did not reduce capsaicin-induced guinea pig bronchoconstriction.

CONCLUSIONS:
These findings suggest that endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists inhibit the activation of C fibers via cannabinoid CB2 receptors and maxi-K+ channels in guinea pig airways.

Source: pubmed.gov
 
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