The endocannabinoid system and the molecular basis of paralytic ileus in mice

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Abstract
SPECIFIC AIMSParalytic ileus is defined as a long-lasting inhibition of gastrointestinal motility in response to nociception initiated at the abdominal level. The molecular bases of this disease are not known. In this study, based on the inhibitory effects of endocannabinoids on intestinal motility and on the finding of enhanced endocannabinoid levels during nociception and tissue damage, we investigated the possibility that an enhanced tone of the endocannabinoid system is partly responsible for paralytic ileus in a mouse model of this disorder.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. Anandamide levels in the mouse small intestine are enhanced during ileusIntraperitoneal administration of acetic acid strongly reduced gastrointestinal transit. A mild infiltration of leukocytes was observed in sections of intestine obtained from mice subjected to peritonitis compared with the sections of intestine of control mice. Table 1⤻ shows that the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and the anandamide congener...