2-Arachidonoylglycerol, a candidate of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor.

We investigated whether 2-arachidonoylglycerol, an endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligand, is involved in acetylcholine- and calcium ionophore A23187-induced relaxations in the presence of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and indomethacin, which is considered to be mediated by endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). In rabbit mesenteric arterial rings pre-constricted with noradrenaline, 2-arachidonoylglycerol caused concentration-dependent relaxation. The 2-arachidonoylglycerol-induced relaxations were not affected by endothelium removal. N-piperidino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-3-pyrazole-caroxamide (SR141716A) and 1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-N-4-morholinyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM281), cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonists, significantly attenuated 2-arachidonoylglycerol-induced relaxation and the acetylcholine-induced relaxation only slightly, but not the calcium ionophore A23187-induced relaxation. On the other hand, charybdotoxin plus apamin, K(+) channel blockers, significantly attenuated acetylcholine and calcium ionohore A23187-induced relaxations but not 2-arachidonoylglycerol-induced relaxations. These results suggest that 2-arachidonoylglycerol can cause relaxations via cannabinoid CB(1) receptors, but is not involved in EDHF-mediated relaxations.