N-Arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) is an endocannabinoid that acts as an agonist of the CB1 receptor and the transient receptor potential V1 (TRPV1) ion channel. NADA was first described as a putative endocannabinoid (agonist for the CB1 receptor) in 2000[1] and was subsequently identified as an endovanilloid (agonist for TRPV1) in 2002.[2] NADA is an endogenous arachidonic acid based lipid found in the brain of rats, with especially high concentrations in the hippocampus, cerebellum, and striatum.[2] It activates the TRPV1 channel with an EC50 of approximately of 50 nM which makes it the putative endogenous TRPV1 agonist.[2]
In mice, NADA was shown to induce the tetrad of physiological paradigms associated with cannabinoids: hypothermia, hypo-locomotion, catalepsy, and analgesia.[1][3][4] NADA has been found to play a regulatory role in both the peripheral and central nervous systems, and displays antioxidant and neuroprotectant properties.[2][5][6][7] NADA has also been implicated in smooth muscle contraction and vasorelaxation in blood vessels.[8][9][10][11] Additionally, NADA has been observed to suppress inflammatory activation of human Jurkat T cells and to inhibit the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated astrocytes, microglia and mouse brain ECs (MEC-Brain).[12][13][14] NADA also promotes the inflammatory resolution of human endothelial cells activated by both endogenous (i.e. TNF) and exogenous (i.e. bacterial derived LPS (TLR4 agonist) and FSL-1 (TLR2/6 agonist)) inflammatory mediators.[15] It can increase the TRPV1-mediated release of substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in rat dorsal spinal cord slices.[2] Furthermore, NADA also displays inhibitory activity in HIV-1 replication assays.[16] Finally, NADA can prevent the degranulation and release of TNF from RBL- 2H3 mast cells treated with an IgE-antigen complex.[17] Together, these studies show that physiological functions attributed to NADA are multifaceted, and include the ability to modulate the immune response.
The biosynthetic pathway of N-arachindonoyldopamine is not well understood. It has been proposed to be conjugated from arachidonoyl-CoA or arachidonoyl phospholipids and dopamine, but in vitro experiments do not support this theory.[18] However, the indirect biosynthesis of phospholipid esters with dopamine may be possible, as dopamine can induce the aminolysis of the glycerol-fatty acid bonds in phospholipid chains (arachidonoyl, palmitoyl, linoleyl, etc.).[19]
^Bezuglov, V.; Bobrov, M.; Gretskaya, N.; Gonchar, A.; Zinchenko, G.; Melck, D.; Bisogno, T.; Di Marzo, V.; Kuklev, D. (2001-02-26). "Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel amides of polyunsaturated fatty acids with dopamine". Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 11 (4): 447–449. doi:10.1016/s0960-894x(00)00689-2. ISSN0960-894X. PMID11229744.
^Little, P. J.; Compton, D. R.; Johnson, M. R.; Melvin, L. S.; Martin, B. R. (1988-12-01). "Pharmacology and stereoselectivity of structurally novel cannabinoids in mice". The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 247 (3): 1046–1051. ISSN0022-3565. PMID2849657.
^Sagar, Devi R.; Smith, Paul A.; Millns, Paul J.; Smart, Darren; Kendall, David A.; Chapman, Victoria (2004-07-01). "TRPV1 and CB(1) receptor-mediated effects of the endovanilloid/endocannabinoid N-arachidonoyl-dopamine on primary afferent fibre and spinal cord neuronal responses in the rat". The European Journal of Neuroscience. 20 (1): 175–184. doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03481.x. ISSN0953-816X. PMID15245490. S2CID42626601.
^Bobrov, Mikhail Yu; Lizhin, Anatoly A.; Andrianova, Ekaterina L.; Gretskaya, Natalia M.; Frumkina, Lidia E.; Khaspekov, Leonid G.; Bezuglov, Vladimir V. (2008-01-24). "Antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of N-arachidonoyldopamine". Neuroscience Letters. 431 (1): 6–11. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2007.11.010. ISSN0304-3940. PMID18069125. S2CID23436811.
^Harrison, Selena; De Petrocellis, Luciano; Trevisani, Marcello; Benvenuti, Francesca; Bifulco, Maurizio; Geppetti, Pierangelo; Di Marzo, Vincenzo (2003-08-15). "Capsaicin-like effects of N-arachidonoyl-dopamine in the isolated guinea pig bronchi and urinary bladder". European Journal of Pharmacology. 475 (1–3): 107–114. doi:10.1016/s0014-2999(03)02114-9. ISSN0014-2999. PMID12954366.
^Navarrete, Carmen M.; Fiebich, Bernd L.; de Vinuesa, Amaya García; Hess, Sandra; de Oliveira, Antonio C. P.; Candelario-Jalil, Eduardo; Caballero, Francisco J.; Calzado, Marco A.; Muñoz, Eduardo (2009-04-01). "Opposite effects of anandamide and N-arachidonoyl dopamine in the regulation of prostaglandin E and 8-iso-PGF formation in primary glial cells". Journal of Neurochemistry. 109 (2): 452–464. doi:10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.05966.x. ISSN1471-4159. PMID19200337. S2CID205620351.
^Navarrete, Carmen M.; Pérez, Moisés; de Vinuesa, Amaya García; Collado, Juan A.; Fiebich, Bernd L.; Calzado, Marco A.; Muñoz, Eduardo (2010-06-15). "Endogenous N-acyl-dopamines induce COX-2 expression in brain endothelial cells by stabilizing mRNA through a p38 dependent pathway". Biochemical Pharmacology. 79 (12): 1805–1814. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2010.02.014. ISSN1873-2968. PMID20206142.