Abstract

This dataset supports a study about the gene and protein expression of the cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1R) and 2 (CB2R) in feline species. The study focused on urinary bladder of cats and the objective of this research was to investigate the presence, by Real Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Immunofluo-rescence (IF) assay, of the cannabinoid receptors in di the urothelium and detrusor. The study included 11 privately owned domestic cats whose cadavers were voluntarily donated for research purposes following death or euthanasia due to conditions unrelated to the urinary tract. After collection samples (11 cats) were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) for 48 h at 4°C (for IF and RT-qPCR). Additional samples not fixed (4 cats) were collected and stored in RNALater (sample for RT-qPCR). The RT-qPCR experiments showed the Cnr2 transcripts only in not fixed sample in both urothelium and detrusor muscle (no significant statistical differences), whereas Cnr1 transcripts were not detectable. Nei-ther Cnr1 nor Cnr2 transcripts were detected in paraformaldehyde-fixed samples (see data set File Cnr1Cnr2_RTqPCR_03092026.csv). CB1R immunoreactivity (CB1R-IR) was largely absent from the urotheli-um, except for occasional umbrella and basal cells. CB1R was detected in detrusor smooth muscle cells, arterial endothelial cells, intramural neurons and nerve fibers. A subset of Substance P-positive fibers co-expressed CB1R. Quantitatively, CB1R-IR was significantly higher in the detrusor muscle (see data set File CB1RCB2R_RT_IF_03092026.csv). This study demonstrates the presence and differential distribution of CB1R and CB2R in the feline urinary bladder. The predominant expression of CB2R in the urothelium sug-gests a role in epithelial signaling and sensory modulation, while CB1R appears to be associated with neu-ral and vascular regulation.