The serine hydrolase ABHD6 controls the accumulation and efficacy of 2-AG at cannabinoid receptors

Nat Neurosci. 2010 Aug;13(8):951-7. doi: 10.1038/nn.2601. Epub 2010 Jul 25.

Abstract

The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) regulates neurotransmission and neuroinflammation by activating CB1 cannabinoid receptors on neurons and CB2 cannabinoid receptors on microglia. Enzymes that hydrolyze 2-AG, such as monoacylglycerol lipase, regulate the accumulation and efficacy of 2-AG at cannabinoid receptors. We found that the recently described serine hydrolase alpha-beta-hydrolase domain 6 (ABHD6) also controls the accumulation and efficacy of 2-AG at cannabinoid receptors. In cells from the BV-2 microglia cell line, ABHD6 knockdown reduced hydrolysis of 2-AG and increased the efficacy with which 2-AG can stimulate CB2-mediated cell migration. ABHD6 was expressed by neurons in primary culture and its inhibition led to activity-dependent accumulation of 2-AG. In adult mouse cortex, ABHD6 was located postsynaptically and its selective inhibition allowed the induction of CB1-dependent long-term depression by otherwise subthreshold stimulation. Our results indicate that ABHD6 is a rate-limiting step of 2-AG signaling and is therefore a bona fide member of the endocannabinoid signaling system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arachidonic Acids / metabolism*
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Endocannabinoids
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Glycerides / metabolism*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Monoacylglycerol Lipases / metabolism*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / metabolism*
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Arachidonic Acids
  • Endocannabinoids
  • Glycerides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2
  • glyceryl 2-arachidonate
  • ABHD6 protein, mouse
  • Monoacylglycerol Lipases