Antibodies to cannabinoid type 1 receptor co-react with stomatin-like protein 2 in mouse brain mitochondria

Eur J Neurosci. 2013 Aug;38(3):2341-8. doi: 10.1111/ejn.12237. Epub 2013 Apr 26.

Abstract

Anti-cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1 ) polyclonal antibodies are widely used to detect the presence of CB1 in a variety of brain cells and their organelles, including neuronal mitochondria. Surprisingly, we found that anti-CB1 sera, in parallel with CB1 , also recognize the mitochondrial protein stomatin-like protein 2. In addition, we show that the previously reported effect of synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 on mitochondrial complex III respiration is not detectable in purified mitochondrial preparations. Thus, our study indicates that a direct relationship between endocannabinoid signaling and mitochondrial functions in the cerebral cortex seems unlikely, and that caution should be taken interpreting findings obtained using anti-CB1 antibodies.

Keywords: CB 1; SLP-2; antibody specificity; marijuana; mitochondrial respiration; serology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Brain / embryology
  • Brain / immunology*
  • Brain Chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cross Reactions
  • Female
  • Immune Sera / immunology*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / analysis
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / chemistry
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / immunology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology*
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / analysis
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / immunology*

Substances

  • Immune Sera
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
  • stomatin-like protein 2, mouse