Effects of Cannabinoids on LPS-Stimulated Inflammatory Mediator Release From Macrophages: Involvement of Eicosanoids

D9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol (D9 -THC) is the major psychoactive component of marijuana and elicits pharmacological actions via cannabinoid receptors. Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) are endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors, which because of their structural similarities to arachidonic acid (AA), AEA, and 2-AG could serve as substrates for lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenases (COXs) that metabolize polyunsaturated fatty acids to potent bioactive molecules. In this study, we have compared the effects of D9 -THC, AEA, 2-AG, and another cannabinoid agonist, indomethacin morpholinylamide (IMMA), on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- induced NO, IL-6, and PGE2 release from J774 macrophages. D9 -THC, IMMA, and AEA diminish LPS-induced NO and IL-6 production in a concentration-dependent manner. 2-AG inhibits the production of IL-6 but slightly increases iNOSdependent NO production. D9 -THC and IMMA also inhibit LPS-induced PGE2 production and COX-2 induction, while AEA and 2-AG have no effects. These discrepant results of 2-AG on iNOS and COX-2 induction might be due to its bioactive metabolites, AA and PGE2, whose incubation cause the potentiation of both iNOS and COX-2 induction. On the contrary, the AEA metabolite, PGE2-ethanolamide, in¯uences neither the LPS-induced NO nor IL-6 production. Taken together, direct cannabinoid receptor activation leads to anti-in¯ammatory action via inhibition of macrophage function. The endogenous cannabinoid, 2-AG, also serves as a substrate for COX-catalyzing PGE2 production, which in turn modulates the action of CB2