Category Archives: Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid signaling system in cancer.

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“The endocannabinoid system, comprising lipid-derived endocannabinoids, their G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and the enzymes for their metabolism, is emerging as a promising therapeutic target in cancer.

This report highlights the main signaling pathways for the antitumor effects of the endocannabinoid system in cancer and its basic role in cancerpathogenesis, and discusses the alternative view of cannabinoid receptors as tumor promoters.

We focus on new players in the antitumor action of the endocannabinoid system and on emerging crosstalk among cannabinoid receptors and other membrane or nuclear receptors involved in cancer.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23602129

Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Is Downregulated in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

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“Several studies in cell cultures and in animal models have demonstrated that cannabinoids have important antitumoral properties… many of these effects are mediated through cannabinoid (CB) receptors CB1 and CB2…

The obtained data suggest a possible implication of the endocannabinoid system in renal carcinogenesis.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2989249/

 

 

Anandamide, a naturally-occurring agonist of the cannabinoid receptor, blocks adenylate cyclase at the frog neuromuscular junction.

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“Anandamide (arachydonylethanolamide) is a naturally-occurring ligand of the canabinoid receptor. When anandamide binds to its receptor, adenylate cyclase is inhibited…

The conclusions are that the motor nerve terminal has a cannabinoid receptor.

The binding of anandamide to this receptor seems to block adenylate cyclase.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7953630

Anandamide, a brain endogenous compound, interacts specifically with cannabinoid receptors and inhibits adenylate cyclase.

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“A putative endogenous cannabinoid ligand, arachidonylethanolamide (termed “anandamide”), was isolated recently from porcine brain.

Here we demonstrate that this compound is a specific cannabinoid agonist and exerts its action directly via the cannabinoid receptors.

Anandamide specifically binds to membranes from cells transiently (COS) or stably (Chinese hamster ovary) transfected with an expression plasmid carrying the cannabinoid receptor DNA but not to membranes from control nontransfected cells.

Moreover, anandamide inhibited the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase in the transfected cells and in cells that naturally express cannabinoid receptors (N18TG2 neuroblastoma) but not in control nontransfected cells. As with exogenous cannabinoids…

These data indicate that anandamide is an endogenous agonist that may serve as a genuine neurotransmitter for the cannabinoid receptor.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8515284

Antipsychotic profile of cannabidiol and rimonabant in an animal model of emotional context processing in schizophrenia.

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“Clinical and neurobiological findings suggest that cannabinoids and their receptors are implicated in schizophrenia. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotomimetic compound of the Cannabis sativa plant, has been reported to have central therapeutic actions, such as antipsychotic and anxiolytic effects…

Our results suggest a potential therapeutical effect of CBD and rimonabant to treat the emotional processing impairment presented in schizophrenia.

In addition, our results reinforce the anxiolytic profile of CBD.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22716146

Effects of cannabinoid and vanilloid drugs on positive and negative-like symptoms on an animal model of schizophrenia: The SHR strain.

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“Studies have suggested that the endocannabinoid system is implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia…

Our results indicate that the schizophrenia-like behaviors displayed by SHR are differently altered by cannabinoid and vanilloid drugs when compared to control animals and suggest the endocannabinoid and the vanilloid systems as a potential target for the treatment of schizophrenia.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24556469

Effects of cannabinoid drugs on the deficit of prepulse inhibition of startle in an animal model of schizophrenia: the SHR strain.

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“Clinical and neurobiological findings suggest that the cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system may be implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia…

Our results reinforce the role of the endocannabinoid system in the sensorimotor gating impairment related to schizophrenia, and point to cannabinoid drugs as potential therapeutic strategies.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24567721

Cannabinoid receptor 2 is increased in acutely and chronically inflamed bladder of rats.

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“Cannabinoid receptors are expressed in the urinary bladder and may affect bladder function… CB2 receptors may be a viable target for pharmacological treatment of bladder inflammation and associated pain…

In this study, we have shown that CB1 and CB2 are present in the bladder and its innervation, and that expression of CB2 is increased in the bladders of rats with acute and chronic cystitis. Bladder inflammation and pain is the summation of a number of biological events, including participation of the endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system could play an important role in modulation of severity of bladder inflammation and pain, and it may be possible to take advantage of the cannabinoid system in the bladder to decrease inflammation and resultant pain.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2592089/

Activation of cannabinoid receptor 2 inhibits experimental cystitis.

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“Cannabinoids have been shown to exert analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, and the effects of cannabinoids are mediated primarily by cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1and CB2). Both CB1 and CB2 are present in bladders of various species, including human, monkey, and rodents, and it appears that CB2 is highly expressed in urothelial cells…

The results of the current study indicate that CB2 is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of bladder inflammation and pain in patients.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23515618

Evaluation of selective cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide-induced interstitial cystitis.

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“Recent experimental results have shown a functional role of the endocannabinoid system in urinary bladder. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of selective cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists in a mouse model of interstitial cystitis…

Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that modulation of the cannabinoid CB2 receptors might be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of bladder diseases and conditions characterized by inflammation, such as interstitial cystitis.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24561047