WIN 55,212-2 Inhibits the Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition of Gastric Cancer Cells via COX-2 Signals.

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“Cannabinoids (the active components of Cannabis sativa) and their derivatives have received considerable interest due to reports that they can affect the tumor growth, migration, and metastasis.

Previous studies showed that the cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2 (WIN) was associated with gastric cancer (GC) metastasis, but the mechanisms were unknown.

RESULTS:

WIN inhibited cell migration, invasion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in GC. WIN treatment resulted in the downregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and decreased the phosphorylation of AKT, and inhibited EMT in SGC7901 cells. Decreased expression of COX-2 and vimentin, and increased expression of E-cadherin, which was induced by WIN, were normalized by overexpression of AKT, suggesting that AKT mediated, at least partially, the WIN suppressed EMT of GC cells.

CONCLUSION:

WIN can inhibit the EMT of GC cells through the downregulation of COX-2.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27802436

Systematic review of the literature on clinical and experimental trials on the antitumor effects of cannabinoids in gliomas.

“To evaluate, through a systematic review of the literature, the antitumoral effects of cannabinoids on gliomas…

  In all experimental studies included, cannabinoids exerted antitumoral activity in vitro and/or antitumoral evidence in vivo in several models of tumor cells and tumors.

The antitumor activity included: antiproliferative effects (cell cycle arrest), decreased viability and cell death by toxicity, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, as well as antiangiogenic and antimigratory effects.

 Antitumoral evidence included: reduction in tumor size, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic effects.

 Additionally, most of the studies described that the canabinnoids exercised selective antitumoral action in several distinct tumor models. Thereby, normal cells used as controls were not affected.

The safety factor in the cannabinoids’ administration has also been demonstrated in vivo.

 The various cannabinoids tested in multiple tumor models showed antitumoral effects both in vitro and in vivo.

 These findings indicate that cannabinoids are promising compounds for the treatment of gliomas.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24142199