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Review
. 2014 Mar;5(2):137-45.
doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2013.03.008. Epub 2013 Apr 3.

Cannabinoid receptor 1 signaling in cardiovascular regulating nuclei in the brainstem: A review

Badr M Ibrahim  1 , Abdel A Abdel-Rahman  1
Affiliations
Review

Cannabinoid receptor 1 signaling in cardiovascular regulating nuclei in the brainstem: A review

Badr M Ibrahim et al. J Adv Res. 2014 Mar.

Abstract

Cannabinoids elicit complex hemodynamic responses in experimental animals that involve both peripheral and central sites. Centrally administered cannabinoids have been shown to predominantly cause pressor response. However, very little is known about the mechanism of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R)-centrally evoked pressor response. In this review, we provided an overview of the contemporary knowledge regarding the cannabinoids centrally elicited cardiovascular responses and the possible underlying signaling mechanisms. The current review focuses on the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) as the primary brainstem nucleus implicated in CB1R-evoked pressor response.

Keywords: Cannabinoids; Cardiovascular; ERK1/2; PI3K; RVLM; nNOS.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic presentation of signaling mechanisms in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) catecholaminergic C1 area, underlying central CB1R-mediated pressor response. In conscious freely moving rats, central CB1R activation (WIN55,212-2) increases blood pressure, plasma norepinephrine (NE), sympathetic neuronal activity (SNA) , enhances ERK1/2 and nNOS phosphorylation (NO production) and reduces Akt phosphorylation in the RVLM . AM251 (CB1R antagonist); NPLA (nNOS inhibitor); PD98059 (MEK-ERK1/2 inhibitor) or muscimol (GABAA receptor agonist) attenuated CB1R (WIN55,212-2)-evoked pressor response . In contrast, wortmannin (PI3K-Akt inhibitor) exaggerated WIN55,212-2 response . The proposed model system is further supported by our neurochemical and pharmacological findings following intracisternal or intra-RVLM microinjection of the CB1R agonist WIN55,212-2 . Solid arrows indicate signaling based on reported in vivo findings, while dashed arrows indicate proposed signaling based on reported in vitro findings, but not tested in this model (see text for details).
None
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