Table 1.
Characteristics of the subjects of the lifestyle intervention study.
Figure 1.
Fasting salivary endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines are elevated in obese subjects.
Fasting salivary and plasma AEA (A), 2-AG (B), PEA (C) and OEA (D) levels in normal weight and obese subjects. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.
Figure 2.
Relationship of salivary AEA and OEA levels with anthropometric and metabolic parameters.
Fasting salivary AEA and OEA correlation with body mass index (BMI) (A, D), waist circumference (B, E) and fasting insulin levels (C, F).
Figure 3.
The ECS is present in human salivary glands.
(A) RT-PCR for CB1, FAAH, MAGL, DAGL alpha, DAGL beta and housekeeping genes GAPDH and HRPT performed on submandibular and accessory salivary glands. (B) RT-PCR for NAPE-PLD and NAAA performed on submandibular and accessory salivary glands. A 100-bp ladder is shown. (C) Endocannabinoids and related N-acylethanolamines content in submandibular salivary glands. CB1: Cannabinoid receptor type 1, DAGL alpha: Diacylglycerol lipase alpha, DAGL beta: Diacylglycerol lipase beta, FAAH: Fatty acid amide hydrolase, GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase, HPRT: hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase, MAGL: Monoacylglycerol lipase, NAAA: N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase, NAPE-PLD: N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D.
Figure 4.
Changes in salivary endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines levels in response to a meal.
Salivary AEA (A), 2-AG (B), OEA (C) and PEA (D) levels 1 h before (1 h PRE), immediately before (PRE) and 1 h after the termination of the meal (1 h POST). *p<0.05 normal weight vs. obese at a specific time point; #p<0.05, ##p<0.01 normal weight vs. obese.
Figure 5.
Changes in salivary endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines levels in response to body weight loss.
Salivary AEA (A), 2-AG (B), PEA (C) and OEA (D) before and after body weight loss obtained through a 12 weeks life-style intervention program. *p<0.05 before vs. after the lifestyle intervention program.