It is well established that in addition to neurons, astrocytes also express cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB 1-R) both in the brain 16 and spinal cord 18, 19. In turn, astrocytes release neuroactive substances called gliotransmitters, like glutamate, D-serine and ATP 10, which modulate neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission 11– 14.Įndocannabinoids are also implicated in this bidirectional signaling 15– 17. ![]() ![]() Astrocytes express various neurotransmitter receptors, such as glutamatergic and purinergic receptors 7, the activation of which leads to the mobilization of Ca 2+ from intracellular stores 8, 9. Since then, many details of a bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons has been demonstrated 4– 6. However, the discovery that Ca 2+ transients in astrocytes are coupled to the enhancement or depression of neuronal activity has led to the recognition that astrocytes may play a substantial role in neural information processing 1– 3. The results provide evidence for a novel cannabinoid induced endocannabinoid release mechanism in astrocytes which broadens the bidirectional signaling repertoire between astrocytes and neurons.Īstrocytes were long thought to play only a supporting role in the central nervous system. Finally, we provide evidence that the evoked Ca 2+ transients lead to the production of 2-arachidonoylglycerol in cultured astrocytes. We also demonstrate that activation of CB 1-Rs induces a substantial elevation of intracellular Ca 2+ concentration in astrocytes. Here we show that rat spinal astrocytes co-express CB 1-Rs and the 2-arachidonoylglycerol synthesizing enzyme, diacylglycerol lipase-alpha in close vicinity to each other. However, no relationship between CB 1-R activation and 2-arachidonoylglycerol production has ever been demonstrated. It has also been documented that astrocytes have the potential to produce the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol, one of the best known CB 1-R agonist. ![]() It has been reported that some astrocytes express the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB 1-R), the activation of which is leading to Ca 2+ mobilization from internal stores and a consecutive release of glutamate. ![]() Accumulating evidence supports the role of astrocytes in endocannabinoid mediated modulation of neural activity.
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June 2023
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