Ligand activation of cannabinoid receptors attenuates hypertrophy of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2014 Nov;64(5):420-30. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000000134.

Abstract

: Endocannabinoids are bioactive amides, esters, and ethers of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Evidence suggests that activation of the endocannabinoid pathway offers cardioprotection against myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias, and endothelial dysfunction of coronary arteries. As cardiac hypertrophy is a convergence point of risk factors for heart failure, we determined a role for endocannabinoids in attenuating endothelin-1-induced hypertrophy and probed the signaling pathways involved. The cannabinoid receptor ligand anandamide and its metabolically stable analog, R-methanandamide, suppressed hypertrophic indicators including cardiomyocyte enlargement and fetal gene activation (ie, the brain natriuretic peptide gene) elicited by endothelin-1 in isolated neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. The ability of R-methanandamide to suppress myocyte enlargement and fetal gene activation was mediated by CB2 and CB1 receptors, respectively. Accordingly, a CB2-selective agonist, JWH-133, prevented only myocyte enlargement but not brain natriuretic peptide gene activation. A CB1/CB2 dual agonist with limited brain penetration, CB-13, inhibited both hypertrophic indicators. CB-13 activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and, in an AMPK-dependent manner, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Disruption of AMPK signaling, using compound C or short hairpinRNA knockdown, and eNOS inhibition using L-NIO abolished the antihypertrophic actions of CB-13. In conclusion, CB-13 inhibits cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through AMPK-eNOS signaling and may represent a novel therapeutic approach to cardioprotection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Arachidonic Acids / pharmacology
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Cannabinoids / pharmacology
  • Cardiomegaly / drug therapy*
  • Cardiomegaly / pathology
  • Cardiotonic Agents / pharmacology
  • Endocannabinoids / pharmacology
  • Endothelin-1 / metabolism
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Ligands
  • Male
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / pathology
  • Naphthalenes / pharmacology*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / metabolism
  • Polyunsaturated Alkamides / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / drug effects
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / metabolism
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / drug effects
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Arachidonic Acids
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists
  • Cannabinoids
  • Cardiotonic Agents
  • Endocannabinoids
  • Endothelin-1
  • Ligands
  • Naphthalenes
  • Polyunsaturated Alkamides
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2
  • methanandamide
  • naphthalen-1-yl-(4-pentyloxynaphthalen-1-yl)methanone
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
  • 1,1-dimethylbutyl-1-deoxy-Delta(9)-THC
  • anandamide