Effect of cannabinoids on neural transmission in rat gastric fundus

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible role of cannabinoids on the neuromuscular function of rat gastric fundus. In addition to possible direct effects on smooth muscle, the influence of cannabinoids on contractile (cholinergic) and relaxant (non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC)) neural innervation of the rat gastric fundus was investigated in vitro. Neither anandamide (an endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonist) nor Win 55,212-2 and methanandamide (synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists) nor AM 630 (a cannabinoid receptor antagonist) showed any effect on smooth muscle activity at baseline or after precontraction with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; 10(-7) M). Electrical field stimulation (EFS) of the smooth muscle preparation (40 V; 5 Hz) caused cholinergically mediated twitch contractions that were abolished by atropine (10(-6) M) or tetrodotoxin (TTX; 10(-6) M). Anandamide and Win 55,212-2 reduced these twitch contractions in a concentration-dependent manner, an effect that could be reversed by the cannabinoid receptor antagonist AM 630 for anandamide, but not for Win 55,212-2. When NANC relaxant neural responses (presence of atropine (10(-6) M) and guanethidine (10(-6) M)) were induced by EFS, the cannabinoid receptor agonists anandamide and Win 55,212-2 reduced the relaxant response, an effect that could be reversed by the cannabinoid receptor antagonist AM 630 for anandamide, but not for Win 55,212-2. When given alone AM 630 caused an increase in the EFS-induced relaxant response. The presence of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor mRNA within the rat stomach was demonstrated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results of this study indicate that cannabinoids modulate excitatory cholinergic and inhibitory NANC neurotransmission in the rat gastric fundus. Endogenous cannabinoids may play a physiological role only in NANC inhibitory transmission, as AM 630 did not modify the electrically induced cholinergic contraction. The involved cannabinoid receptors are most likely located on neuronal structures. The present study also provides evidence that more than one receptor type is involved.