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Current Medicinal Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 0929-8673
ISSN (Online): 1875-533X

The Endocannabinoid System in the Cancer Therapy: An Overview

Author(s): C. Grimaldi and A. Capasso

Volume 18, Issue 11, 2011

Page: [1575 - 1583] Pages: 9

DOI: 10.2174/092986711795471374

Price: $65

Abstract

The endocannabinoid system comprises the cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2), their endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids), and the proteins responsible for their biosynthesis and degradation. This ubiquitous signalling system, that has attracted a great deal of scientist interest in the past 15 years, regulates several physiological and pathological functions. In mammals, among other functions, the endocannabinoid is involved in nervous, cardiovascular, metabolic, reproductive and immune functions. Finally, yet importantly, endocannabinoids are known to exert important antiproliferative actions in a great number of tumor cells including breast, brain, skin, thyroid, prostate and colorectal.

The following review describes our current knowledge on the effects of two of the most studied endocannabinoids (AEA and 2-AG) on various types of tumor and summarizes the possible mechanism of observed antitumor effects.

Keywords: Endocannabinoid, cancer, cannabinoid receptor


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