Category Archives: Gliomas

Endocannabinoid system in cancer cachexia.

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“More than 60% of advanced cancer patients suffer from anorexia and cachexia.

This review focuses on the possible mechanisms by which the endocannabinoid system antagonizes cachexia-anorexia processes in cancer patients and how it can be tapped for therapeutic applications.

Cannabinoids stimulate appetite and food intake…

Cannabinoid type 1 receptor activation stimulates appetite and promotes lipogenesis and energy storage.

Further study of cancer-cachexia pathophysiology and the role of endocannabinoids will help us to develop cannabinoids without psychotropic properties, which will help cancer patients suffering from cachexia and improve outcomes of clinical antitumor therapy.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17563462

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

Spontaneous regression of septum pellucidum/forniceal pilocytic astrocytomas–possible role of Cannabis inhalation.

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“The purpose of this report is to document spontaneous regression of pilocytic astrocytomas of the septum pellucidum and to discuss the possible role of cannabis in promoting regression.

We report two children with septum pellucidum/forniceal pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) tumors… Neither patient received any conventional adjuvant treatment.

The tumors regressed over the same period of time that cannabis was consumed via inhalation, raising the possibility that the cannabis played a role in the tumor regression.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21336992

Cannabinoid receptors in human astroglial tumors.

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“…cannabinoids are reported to inhibit the growth of tumors, including gliomas. These effects have been claimed to be mediated via cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1, CB2).

We conclude that cannabinoid therapy of human gliomas targets not only receptors on tumor, but also on other cell types…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16893424

5-Lipoxygenase and anandamide hydrolase (FAAH) mediate the antitumor activity of cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid.

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“It has been recently reported that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, is able to kill glioma cells, both in vivo and in vitro, independently of cannabinoid receptor stimulation.

…the present investigation indicates that CBD exerts its antitumoral effects through modulation of the LOX pathway and of the endocannabinoid system…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18028339

Cannabinoids induce glioma stem-like cell differentiation and inhibit gliomagenesis.

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“Glioma stem-like cells constitute one of the potential origins of gliomas, and therefore, their elimination is an essential factor for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies.

Cannabinoids are known to exert an antitumoral action on gliomas that relies on at least two mechanisms: induction of apoptosis of transformed cells and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis…

The discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system, together with the great improvement in our understanding of the signaling mechanisms responsible for cannabinoid actions, has fostered the interest in the potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids.

Several studies have demonstrated a significant antitumoral action of cannabinoid ligands in animal models. Thus, cannabinoid administration to nude mice curbs the growth of different tumors, including gliomas…

Cannabinoids are known to exert an antitumoral action against gliomas…

Overall, our results demonstrate that cannabinoids target glioma stem-like cells, promote their differentiation, and inhibit gliomagenesis, thus giving further support to their potential use in the management of malignant gliomas.

In conclusion, our results demonstrate the action of cannabinoids on glioma stem-like cells and thus may open new avenues for cannabinoid-based antitumoral strategies.”

http://www.jbc.org/content/282/9/6854.long

Cannabinoids inhibit peptidoglycan-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB and cell growth in U87MG human malignant glioma cells.

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“Nuclear factor (NF)-κB is the key transcription factor involved in the inflammatory responses, and its activation aggravates tumors. Peptidoglycan (PGN), a main cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria, stimulates Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) and activates a number of inflammatory pathways, including NF-κB…

Cannabinoids have been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects…

Our finding that cannabinoids suppress the NF-κB inflammatory pathway and cell growth via CB1 receptors in glioma cells provides evidence for the therapeutic potential of targeting cannabinoid receptors for the treatment of inflammation-dependent tumor progression.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22842590

Marijuana & Brain Cancer: Why CBD Beats Gliomas

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“A non-psychoactive chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol (CBD) could offer an effective treatment for brain cancer and is potentially an effective anti-cancer drug in the management of gliomas, without side effects, according to a new study from a team of Investigators in Spain, Italy and Canada.

The results suggest that CBD helps battle brain cancer through a combination of anti-cancer effects at the molecular level.”

More: http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2013/12/05/marijuana-brain-cancer-why-cbd-beats-gliomas/

Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Antitumor Activity of Cannabinoids on Gliomas: Role for Oxidative Stress.

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“Cannabinoids, the active components of Cannabis sativa, have been shown to exert antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on a wide spectrum of tumor cells and tissues.

Of interest, cannabinoids have displayed great potency in reducing the growth of glioma tumors, one of the most aggressive CNS tumors, either in vitro or in animal experimental models curbing the growth of xenografts generated by subcutaneous or intrathecal injection of glioma cells in immune-deficient mice.

Cannabinoids appear to be selective antitumoral agents as they kill glioma cells without affecting the viability of non-transformed cells.

This review will summarize the anti-cancer properties that cannabinoids exert on gliomas and discuss their potential action mechanisms that appear complex, involving modulation of multiple key cell signaling pathways and induction of oxidative stress in glioma cells.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24281104

“The therapy of gliomas, the most frequent class of malignant primary brain tumors and one of the most aggressive forms of cancer characterized by high invasiveness, a high proliferation rate and rich neovascularization, could benefit from the use of cannabinoids, the active compounds of Cannabis sativa, and their synthetic derivatives. They have been shown to mimic the endogenous substances named “endocannabinoids” that activate specific cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2).

Cannabinoids have been proven to inhibit glioma tumor growth in either in vitro or in vivo models through several cellular pathways such as elevating ceramide levels, modulating PI3K/Akt, MAPK kinases, inducing autophagy and oxidative stress state in glioma cells, thus arresting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Since cannabinoids kill tumor cells without toxicity on their non transformed counterparts, probably modulating the cell survival/cell death pathways differently, they can represent a class of new potential anticancer drugs.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835116/

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/gllomas/

Cannabidiol, a Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoid Compound, Inhibits Proliferation and Invasion in U87-MG and T98G Glioma Cells through a Multitarget Effect.

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“…the non-psychoactive cannabinoid compound cannabidiol (CBD) effectively limits human glioma cell growth, both in vitro and in vivo… the present investigation confirms the antiproliferative and antiinvasive effects of CBD in U87-MG cells.

 More interestingly, these effects can also be extended to T98G glioma cells, a well known Δ9-THC-resistant lineage…

Taken together, these results provide new insights into the antitumor action of CBD, showing that this cannabinoid affects multiple tumoral features and molecular pathways.

 As CBD is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid that appears to be devoid of side effects, our results support its exploitation as an effective anti-cancer drug in the management of gliomas.”

 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24204703

Full-text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3804588/