Why do cannabinoid receptors have more than one endogenous ligand?

• Published in: Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological sciences Vol. 367; no. 1607; pp. 3216 - 3228
• Main Authors: Di Marzo, Vincenzo, De Petrocellis, Luciano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 05.12.2012
• Subjects: Agonists; Animals; Arachidonic Acids - metabolism; Arachidonic Acids - pharmacology; Biosynthesis; Brain - metabolism; Cannabinoid; Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists - metabolism; Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists - pharmacology; Cannabinoid Receptor Type-1; Cannabinoid Receptor Type-2; Cannabinoid receptors; Cannabinoids; Endocannabinoid; Endocannabinoids; Endocannabinoids - metabolism; Endocannabinoids - pharmacology; Endovanilloid; Enzymes; Glycerides - metabolism; Glycerides - pharmacology; Humans; Ligands; Neuralgia - drug therapy; Neuralgia - physiopathology; Neurons; Neuroscience; Pain Perception - drug effects; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - metabolism; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - pharmacology; Receptor Cross-Talk; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 - agonists; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 - metabolism; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 - agonists; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 - metabolism; Receptors; Review; Signal Transduction; Synaptic Transmission; Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type-1; TRPV Cation Channels - antagonists & inhibitors; TRPV Cation Channels - metabolism
• ISSN: 0962-8436; 1471-2970; 1471-2970
• DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0382

The endocannabinoid system was revealed following the understanding of the mechanism of action of marijuana's major psychotropic principle, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and includes two G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs; the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors), their endogenous ligands (the endocan...