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Updated: May 23, 2026

Synthesis of a Deuterated Standard for the Quantification of 2-Arachidonoylglycerol in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: September 21, 2019
The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglicerol decreases calcium induced cytochrome c release from liver mitochondria
Patrizia Zaccagnino1, Susanna D'Oria, Luigi Luciano Romano
1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Bari, Policlinico, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124 Bari, Italy.
Abstract:
2-Arachidonoylglicerol (2-AG) is an endocannabinoid that mimics the pharmacological effects of Δ⁹ tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of the plant Cannabis sativa. It is present in many mammalian tissues, such as brain, liver, spleen, heart and kidney, where it exerts different biological effects either receptor mediated or independently of receptor activation. This work analyzes the effects of 2-AG on liver mitochondrial functions. It is shown that 2-AG causes a relevant decrease of calcium induced cyclosporine A sensitive cytochrome c release from mitochondria, a process representing an early event of the apoptotic program. Cyclosporin sensitive matrix swelling and ROS production measured under the same conditions are, on the contrary, almost unaffected or even enhanced, respectively, by 2-AG. Furthemore, 2-AG is found to stimulate resting state succinate oxidase activity and to inhibit oligomycin sensitive F₀F₁ ATP synthase activity. All these effects are apparently associated with 2-AG dependent alteration in the fluidity of the mitochondrial membranes, which was measured as generalized polarization of laurdan fluorescence.
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