Endocannabinoids (ECs),
anandamide (AEA) and
2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), inhibit proliferation of
carcinoma cells. Several
enzymes hydrolyze ECs to reduce endogenous EC concentrations and produce
eicosanoids that promote cell growth. In this study, we determined the effects of EC hydrolysis inhibitors and a putative EC, 2-arachidonylglyceryl
ether (
noladin ether, NE) on proliferation of prostate
carcinoma (PC-3, DU-145, and LNCaP) cells. PC-3 cells had the least specific hydrolysis activity for AEA and administration of AEA effectively inhibited cell proliferation. The proliferation inhibition was blocked by
SR141716A (a selective CB1R antagonist) but not
SR144528 (a selective CB2R antagonist), suggesting a CB1R-mediated inhibition mechanism. On the other hand, specific hydrolysis activity for 2-AG was high and 2-AG inhibited proliferation only in the presence of EC hydrolysis inhibitors. NE inhibited proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner; however,
SR141716A,
SR144528 and
pertussis toxin did not block the NE-inhibited proliferation, suggesting a CBR-independent mechanism of NE. A
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) antagonist
GW9662 did not block the NE-inhibited proliferation, suggesting that PPARγ was not involved. NE also induced cell cycle arrest in G(0)/G(1) phase in PC-3 cells. NE inhibited the nuclear translocation of
nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65) and down-regulated the expression of
cyclin D1 and
cyclin E in PC-3 cells, suggesting the NF-κB/
cyclin D and
cyclin E pathways are involved in the arrest of G1 cell cycle and inhibition of cell growth. These results indicate therapeutic potentials of EC hydrolysis inhibitors and the enzymatically stable NE in
prostate cancer.