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Quantitative profiling of endocannabinoids in lipoproteins by LC–MS/MS

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Abstract

Endocannabinoids belong to a diverse family of endogenous lipid bioregulators acting as physiological ligands of cannabinoid receptor type 1 and cannabinoid receptor type 2 in the central and peripheral nervous system. They are also present in nmol L−1 concentrations in human blood plasma; however, their association with possible molecular carriers remains poorly characterized. Here we report on the quantification of 46 endogenous molecular species from five major classes of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds in three lipoprotein fractions of human blood plasma: VLDL, LDL, HDL, and in the plasma lipoprotein-free fraction. Although sizable quantities of endocannabinoid-related molecules are associated with lipoproteins, we identified the lipoprotein-free fraction as a major carrier of endocannabinoids in blood circulation with the exception of 2-acylglycerols, which are markedly abundant in VLDL.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for all members of AS laboratory for their experimental support and useful discussions. We are particularly indebted to Dr. Susanne Sales (MPI CBG) for her expert assistance with data processing and Sigrid Nitzsche (TUD) for lipoprotein preparation. Work in AS laboratory was supported by TRR83 grant (project A17) from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute for Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Mesut Bilgin & Andrej Shevchenko

  2. Institute Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany

    Laura Bindila

  3. Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Juergen Graessler

Authors
  1. Mesut Bilgin
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  2. Laura Bindila
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  3. Juergen Graessler
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  4. Andrej Shevchenko
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrej Shevchenko.

Additional information

Published in the topical collection Lipidomics with guest editor Michal Holčapek.

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Bilgin, M., Bindila, L., Graessler, J. et al. Quantitative profiling of endocannabinoids in lipoproteins by LC–MS/MS. Anal Bioanal Chem 407, 5125–5131 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8559-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8559-8

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