AM404 inhibits NFAT and NF-κB signaling pathways and impairs migration and invasiveness of neuroblastoma cells

N-arachidonoylphenolamine (AM404), a paracetamol lipid metabolite, is a modulator of the endocannabinoid system endowed with pleiotropic activities. AM404 is a dual agonist of the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and the Cannabinoid Receptor type 1 (CB1) and inhibits anandamide (AEA) transport and degradation. In addition, it has been shown that AM404 also exerts biological activities through TRPV1- and CB1 -independent pathways. In the present study we have investigated the effect of AM404 in the NFAT and NF-kappa B signaling pathways in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. AM404 inhibited NFAT transcriptional activity through a CB1- and TRPV1-independent mechanism. Moreover. AM404 inhibited both the expression of COX-2 at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and the synthesis of PGE(2). AM404 also inhibited NF-kappa B activation induced by PMA/Ionomycin in SK-N-SH cells by targeting IKK beta phosphorylation and activation. We found that Cot/Tlp-2 induced NFAT and COX-2 transcriptional activities were inhibited by AM404. NEAT inhibition paralleled with the ability of AM404 to inhibit MMP-1, -3 and -7 expression, cell migration and invasion in a cell-type specific dependent manner. Taken together, these data reveal that paracetamol, the precursor of AM404, can be explored not only as an antipyretic and painkiller drug but also as a co-adjuvant therapy in inflammatory and cancer diseases. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.