Differential CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor-inotropic response of rat isolated atria: Endogenous signal transduction pathways

In this study, we have determined the contractile effects of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor activation on rat isolated atria and the different signaling pathways involved. Anandamide did not has significantly effect on atria contractility, however, the treatment with both CB1 (AM251) or CB2 (AM630) receptor antagonists, the endocannabinoids triggered stimulation or inhibition on contractility respectively. The ACEA stimulation of CB1 receptor exerted decrease on contractility, that significantly correlated with the decrement of cAMP and the stimulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and the accumulation of cyclic GMP (cGMP). On the contrary, JWH 015 stimulation of CB2 receptor triggered positive contractile response that significantly correlated with the increase cAMP production. The inhibiton of adenylate cyclase activity impaired the JWH 015 activation of CB1 receptor induced positive contractile effect, while inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC), NOS and soluble nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive guanylate cyclase blocked the dose-response curves of ACEA on conntractility. Those inhibitors also attenuated the CB1 receptor-dependent increase in activation of NOS and cGMP accumulation. These results suggest that CB2 receptor agonist mediated positive contractile effect associated with increased production on cAMP while CB1 receptor agonist mediated decrease on contractility associated with decreased cAMP accumulation and increase production of NO and cGMP; that occur secondarily to stimulation of PLC, NOS and soluble guanylate cyclase. Data give pharmacological evidence for the existence of functional CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors in rat isolated atria and may contribute to a better understanding the effects of cannabinoids in the cardiovascular system.