Cannabinoids (CBs) exert untoward effects on reproduction by reducing LH secretion and suppressing gonadal function. Recent evidence suggests these effects are due primarily to hypothalamic dysfunction; however, the mechanism is obscure. Using immortalized hypothalamic GnRH neurons, we find these cells produce and secrete at least two different endocannabinoids. After release, 2-arachidonyl monoacylglycerol and anandamide are rapidly transported into GnRH neurons and are degraded to other lipids by fatty-acid amide hydrolase. The immortalized GnRH neurons also possess CB1 and CB2 receptors that are coupled to Gi/Go proteins whose activation leads to inhibition of GnRH secretion. In perifusion experiments, CBs block pulsatile release of GnRH. When a CB receptor agonist is delivered into the third ventricle of adult female mice, estrous cycles are prolonged by at least 2 d. Although in situ hybridization experiments suggest either that GnRH neurons in vivo do not possess CB1 receptors or that they are very low, transcripts are localized in close proximity to these neurons. Inasmuch as GnRH neurons in vivo possess G protein receptors that are coupled to phospholipase C and increased intracellular Ca2+, these same neurons should also be able to synthesize endocannabinoids. These lipids, in turn, could bind to CB receptors on neighboring cells, and perhaps GnRH neurons, to exert feedback control over GnRH function. This network could serve as a novel mechanism for regulating GnRH secretion where reproductive functions as diverse as the onset of puberty, timing of ovulation, duration of lactational infertility, and initiation/persistence of menopause may be affected.
Cultures of fetal rat dorsal root ganglion neurons (7 days in culture) were prelabeled with myo-[3H]inositol or [3H]arachidonic acid for 24 h and stimulated with 10 microM bradykinin for time intervals of 5-300 s. The incubation was terminated by addition of 5% perchloric acid to extract inositol phosphates or organic solvent to extract lipids. Inositol phosphates were resolved by anion-exchange HPLC; lipids were resolved by TLC. Bradykinin stimulation resulted in a 10-fold increased accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and inositol bisphosphate (IP2) (fivefold) by 5 s. The increase in IP3 was transient (half maximal by 1 min), whereas stimulated IP2 levels were sustained for several minutes. Even longer term increases were observed in inositol monophosphate. Stimulation also resulted in a threefold increase in arachidonic acid which was preceded by transient increases in diacylglycerol (twofold) and arachidonoyl-monoacylglycerol (threefold). The temporal lag in the accumulation of arachidonic acid with respect to diglyceride and monoglyceride suggested the involvement of di- and monoglyceride lipases in arachidonic acid mobilization. A role for phospholipase A2 is also possible, because pretreatment of cultures with quinacrine partially blocked arachidonic acid release. Bradykinin-stimulated arachidonic acid release was decreased in the presence of calcium channel blockers nifedipine or verapamil (50 microM), or EDTA (2.5 mM). The role of calcium was verified further in that accumulation of phosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol, and arachidonic acid was maximally stimulated by treatment with the calcium ionophore A23187 (20 microM).
In cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons prelabeled with [3H]arachidonic acid [( 3H]AA), bradykinin (BK) stimulation resulted in increased levels of radioactive diacylglycerol, monoacylglycerol, and free AA. The transient increases in content of radioactive diacylglycerol and monoacylglycerol preceded the increase in level of free AA, suggesting the contribution of a diacylglycerol lipase pathway to AA release. An analysis of the molecular species of diacylglycerols in unstimulated cultures revealed the presence of two primary [3H]AA-containing species, 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl and 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl diacylglycerol. BK stimulation resulted in a preferential increase in content of 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl diacylglycerol. When DRG cultures were labeled with [3H]stearic acid, treatment with BK increased the amount of label in diacylglycerol and free stearic acid, but not in monoacylglycerol. This result suggested that AA release occurred through the successive actions of an sn-1 diacylglycerol lipase and monoacylglycerol lipase. Other data supporting a diacylglycerol lipase pathway was the significant inhibition of [3H]AA release and consequent accumulation of diacylglycerol by RG 80267, which preferentially inhibits diacylglycerol lipase. Analysis of the molecular species profiles of individual phospholipids in DRG neurons indicated that phosphoinositide hydrolysis may account for a significant portion of the rapid increase in content of 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl diacylglycerol. We were unable to obtain evidence that the phospholipase A2 pathway makes a significant contribution to BK-stimulated AA release in DRG cultures. Under our assay conditions there were no BK-stimulated increases in levels of radioactive lysophosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidylcholine, or lysophosphatidylethanolamine in cultures prelabeled with [3H]inositol, [3H]choline, or [3H]-ethanolamine, respectively.
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