Title:The Therapeutic Aspects of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) for Cancer and their Development: From Nature to Laboratory
VOLUME: 22 ISSUE: 12
Author(s):Mohammed I. Khan, Anna A. Sobocińska, Anna M. Czarnecka, Magdalena Król, Bruno Botta and Cezary Szczylik
Affiliation:Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, ul. Szaserów 128, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
Keywords:CB1 and CB2 receptors, Cannabinoids, Endocannabinoid system, Renal cell carcinoma.
Abstract:The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a group of neuromodulatory lipids and their receptors, which are
widely distributed in mammalian tissues. ECS regulates various cardiovascular, nervous, and immune system functions
inside cells. In recent years, there has been a growing body of evidence for the use of synthetic and natural
cannabinoids as potential anticancer agents. For instance, the CB1 and CB2 receptors are assumed to play an important
role inside the endocannabinoid system. These receptors are abundantly expressed in the brain and fatty tissue
of the human body. Despite recent developments in molecular biology, there is still a lack of knowledge about the
distribution of CB1 and CB2 receptors in the human kidney and their role in kidney cancer. To address this gap, we
explore and demonstrate the role of the endocannabinoid system in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In this brief overview, we elucidate the
therapeutic aspects of the endocannabinoid system for various cancers and explain how this system can be used for treating kidney cancer.
Overall, this review provides new insights into cannabinoids’ mechanisms of action in both in vivo and in vitro models, and focuses
on recent discoveries in the field.
