Two types of cannabinoid receptor have been discovered so far, CB(1) (2.1: CBD:1:CB1:), cloned in 1990, and CB(2) (2.1:CBD:2:CB2:), cloned in 1993. Distinction between these receptors is based on differences in their predicted amino acid sequence, signaling mechanisms, tissue distribution, and sensitivity to certain potent agonists and antagonists that show marked selectivity for one or the other receptor type. Cannabinoid receptors CB(1) and CB(2) exhibit 48% amino acid sequence identity. Both receptor types are coupled through G proteins to adenylyl cyclase and mitogen-activated protein kinase. CB(1) receptors are also coupled through G proteins to several types of calcium and potassium channels. These receptors exist primarily on central and peripheral neurons, one of their functions being to inhibit neurotransmitter release. Indeed, endogenous CB(1) agonists probably serve as retrograde synaptic messengers. CB(2) receptors are present mainly on immune cells. Such cells also express CB(1) receptors, albeit to a lesser extent, with both receptor types exerting a broad spectrum of immune effects that includes modulation of cytokine release. Of several endogenous agonists for cannabinoid receptors identified thus far, the most notable are arachidonoylethanolamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, and 2-arachidonylglyceryl ether. It is unclear whether these eicosanoid molecules are the only, or primary, endogenous agonists. Hence, we consider it premature to rename cannabinoid receptors after an endogenous agonist as is recommended by the International Union of Pharmacology Committee on Receptor Nomenclature and Drug Classification. Although pharmacological evidence for the existence of additional types of cannabinoid receptor is emerging, other kinds of supporting evidence are still lacking.

Despite recent advances in crystallography of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), little is known about the mechanism of their activation process, as only the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) and rhodopsin have been crystallized in fully active conformations. Here, we report the structure of an agonist-bound, active state of the human M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor stabilized by a G-protein mimetic camelid antibody fragment isolated by conformational selection using yeast surface display. In addition to the expected changes in the intracellular surface, the structure reveals larger conformational changes in the extracellular region and orthosteric binding site than observed in the active states of the β2AR and rhodopsin. We also report the structure of the M2 receptor simultaneously binding the orthosteric agonist iperoxo and the positive allosteric modulator LY2119620. This structure reveals that LY2119620 recognizes a largely pre-formed binding site in the extracellular vestibule of the iperoxo-bound receptor, inducing a slight contraction of this outer binding pocket. These structures offer important insights into activation mechanism and allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptors.

culture, both the CB1 receptor agonist [3-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-11-hydroxy-⌬ 8 tetrahydrocannabinol] (HU210) and the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole inhibited forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation when applied separately. In contrast, HU210 and quinpirole in combination augmented cAMP accumulation. This augmentation was blocked by the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A or the D2 antagonist sulpride. Pertussis toxin treatment of striatal neurons prevented the inhibition of cAMP accumulation by D2 receptors but unmasked a cannabinoid receptor-mediated stimulatory effect on cAMP accumulation. The cannabinoid receptor-stimulated accumulation of cAMP was blocked in a concentration-dependent manner by SR141716A, suggesting that the response was regulated through the CB1 receptor. Similar augmentation of cAMP accumulation after pertussis toxin treatment was observed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with, and stably expressing, the CB1 receptor. This stimulation of cAMP was not Ca 2ϩ -sensitive and was unaffected by a range of protein kinase inhibitors. Treatment of the pertussis toxin-treated cells with cholera toxin before CB1 receptor activation amplified the stimulatory pathway, suggesting that this response was mediated through a G s -type G-protein. Stimulation of cAMP accumulation was not observed after pertussis toxin treatment of CHO cells expressing the human CB2 receptor, suggesting that this novel signaling pathway is unique to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor.

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Muscarinic receptors regulate a number of important basic physiologic functions including heart rate and motor and sensory control as well as more complex behaviors including arousal, memory, and learning. Loss of muscarinic receptor number or function has been implicated in the etiology of several neurological disorders including Alzheimer's dementia, Down's syndrome, and Parkinson's disease. Muscarinic receptors transduce their signals by coupling with G-proteins, which then modulate the activity of a number of effector enzymes and ion channels. Five subtypes of muscarinic receptors (m1-m5) have been identified by molecular cloning and much has been learned about their distribution, pharmacology, and structure. Less is known about the molecular mechanisms of receptor-effector coupling and the biological role of each receptor subtype. The ectopic expression of genes encoding a single muscarinic receptor subtype in mammalian cell lines has provided an important model system in which to investigate receptor subtype-specific pharmacology and signal transduction. Expression models have revealed that single muscarinic receptor m1, m3, or m5 subtypes can activate multiple signaling effectors simultaneously including phospholipases A2, C, and D, as well as tyrosine kinase and a novel class of voltage-insensitive calcium channels. The m2 or m4 receptors have been shown to augment phospholipase A2 in addition to their established role as inhibitory receptors acting through the attenuation of adenylate cyclase. In addition to allowing investigations of the regulatory mechanisms of muscarinic receptors, expression models provide an excellent tool to investigate receptor-subtype specific physiology and pharmacology.

These results support further investigation of xanomeline as a novel approach to treating schizophrenia.

The first endocannabinoid, anandamide, was discovered in 1992. Since then, two other endocannabinoid agonists have been identified, 2-arachidonyl glycerol and, more recently, noladin ether. Here, we report the identification and pharmacological characterization of a novel endocannabinoid, virodhamine, with antagonist properties at the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. Virodhamine is arachidonic acid and ethanolamine joined by an ester linkage. Concentrations of virodhamine measured by liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry in rat brain and human hippocampus were similar to anandamide. In peripheral tissues that express the CB2 cannabinoid receptor, virodhamine concentrations were 2-to 9-fold higher than anandamide. In contrast to previously described endocannabinoids, virodhamine was a partial agonist with in vivo antagonist activity at the CB1 receptor. However, at the CB2 receptor, virodhamine acted as a full agonist. Transport of [14 C]anandamide by RBL-2H3 cells was inhibited by virodhamine. Virodhamine produced hypothermia in the mouse and acted as an antagonist in the presence of anandamide both in vivo and in vitro. As a potential endogenous antagonist at the CB1 receptor, virodhamine adds a new form of regulation to the endocannabinoid system.Following the discovery of two G protein-coupled receptors, CB1 and CB2, which respond to ⌬ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, the active principal in marijuana, a search was initiated to identify endogenous ligands for these receptors. Anandamide (N-arachidonyl ethanolamide) was the first endocannabinoid discovered in 1992 by screening porcine brain extracts for compounds that bound to the cannabinoid receptor (Devane et al., 1992). It was later shown that anandamide could stimulate cannabinoid receptor-mediated signal transduction (Felder et al., 1993). The second endocannabinoid identified was 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), which was isolated from canine gut and shown to have in vivo effects similar to ⌬ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Mechoulam et al., 1995). Very recently, a third endocannabinoid, noladin ether, was also isolated from porcine brain (Hanus et al., 2001). Both anandamide and 2-AG are agonists at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Noladin ether has been shown to bind to the CB1 receptor with nanomolar affinity and to the CB2 receptor with low micromolar affinity, but functional activity has not yet been determined (Hanus et al., 2001).In the course of development of a bioanalytical method to measure anandamide in brain and peripheral tissues and brain microdialysate, a second analyte was seen that had the same molecular weight as anandamide but a shorter retention time, and therefore, could not be anandamide (Fig. 1). The peak was hypothesized to be O-arachidonoyl ethanolamine, and an authentic standard was subsequently synthesized (BIOMOL Research Laboratories, Plymouth Meeting, PA). Based on its chromatographic and mass spectrometric properties compared with the synthesized standard, the unknown analyte was confirme...

Members of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor family (M1-M5) have central roles in the regulation of many fundamental physiological functions. Identifying the specific receptor subtype(s) that mediate the diverse muscarinic actions of acetylcholine is of considerable therapeutic interest, but has proved difficult primarily because of a lack of subtype-selective ligands. Here we show that mice deficient in the M3 muscarinic receptor (M3R-/- mice) display a significant decrease in food intake, reduced body weight and peripheral fat deposits, and very low levels of serum leptin and insulin. Paradoxically, hypothalamic messenger RNA levels of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), which are normally upregulated in fasted animals leading to an increase in food intake, are significantly reduced in M3R-/- mice. Intra-cerebroventricular injection studies show that an agouti-related peptide analogue lacked orexigenic (appetite-stimulating) activity in M3R-/- mice. However, M3R-/- mice remained responsive to the orexigenic effects of MCH. Our data indicate that there may be a cholinergic pathway that involves M3-receptor-mediated facilitation of food intake at a site downstream of the hypothalamic leptin/melanocortin system and upstream of the MCH system.