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The cannabinoid system and immune modulation
Thomas W. Klein, Cathy Newton, Kellie
Larsen, Lily Lu, Izabella Perkins, Liang
Nong and Herman Friedman
University of South Florida, Department of Medical
Microbiology & Immunology, Tampa. Correspondence to [T.W.K.]: University of South Florida,
College of Medicine, MDC Box 10, Department of Medical Microbiology and
Immunology, 12901 Bruce Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612. E-mail: tklein@hsc.usf.edu
Studies on the effects of marijuana smoking have evolved into the
discovery and description of the endocannabinoid system.
To date,
this system is composed of two receptors, CB1 and CB2, and endogenous
ligands including anandamide, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, and others.
CB1 receptors and ligands are found in the brain as well as immune
and other peripheral tissues.
Conversely, CB2 receptors and ligands
are found primarily in the periphery, especially in immune cells.
Cannabinoid receptors are G protein-coupled receptors, and they have
been linked to signaling pathways and gene activities in common with
this receptor family.
In addition, cannabinoids have been shown to
modulate a variety of immune cell functions in humans and animals and
more recently, have been shown to modulate T helper cell development,
chemotaxis, and tumor development.
Many of these drug effects occur
through cannabinoid receptor signaling mechanisms and the modulation
of cytokines and other gene products.
It appears the immunocannabinoid
system is involved in regulating the brain-immune axis and might be
exploited in future therapies for chronic diseases and immune deficiency.
Key Words: marijuana, Th1 cells, chemotaxis, tumor, G protein, CB1
© 2003 by Society for
Leukocyte Biology
Source: http://www.jleukbio.org/cgi/content/abstract/74/4/486
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