Differential changes in GPR55 during microglial cell activation

We examined how lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), known to differentially activate microglia, affect the expression of G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55), a novel cannabinoid receptor. We found that GPR55 mRNA is significantly expressed in both primary mouse microglia and the BV-2 mouse microglial cell line, and that LPS down-regulates this message. Conversely, IFN-γ slightly decreases GPR55 mRNA in primary microglia, while it upregulates this message in BV-2 cells. Moreover, the GPR55 agonist, lysophosphatidylinositol, increases ERK phosphorylation in BV-2 stimulated with IFN-γ, in correlation with the increased amount of GPR55 mRNA. Remarkably, these stimuli-induced changes in GPR55 expression are similar to those observed with CB2-R, suggesting that both receptors might be involved in neuroinflammation and that their expression is concomitantly controlled by the state of microglial activation.