- Erratum in:
- Nat Neurosci. 2007 Jan;10(1):134.
Selective inhibition of 2-AG hydrolysis enhances endocannabinoid signaling in hippocampus.
Makara JK,
Mor M,
Fegley D,
Szabó SI,
Kathuria S,
Astarita G,
Duranti A,
Tontini A,
Tarzia G,
Rivara S,
Freund TF,
Piomelli D.
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 8. Szigony u. 43., Budapest, H-1083 Hungary.
The functions of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the most abundant endocannabinoid found in the brain, remain largely unknown. Here we show that two previously unknown inhibitors of monoacylglycerol lipase, a presynaptic enzyme that hydrolyzes 2-AG, increase 2-AG levels and enhance retrograde signaling from pyramidal neurons to GABAergic terminals in the hippocampus. These results establish a role for 2-AG in synaptic plasticity and point to monoacylglycerol lipase as a possible drug target.
PMID: 16116451 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]