Type-2 cannabinoid receptors in neurodegeneration

Tiziana Bisogno; Sergio Oddi; Alessandra Piccoli; Domenico Fazio; Mauro Maccarrone

doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2016.07.021

Type-2 cannabinoid receptors in neurodegeneration

Pharmacol Res. 2016 Sep:111:721-730. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.07.021. Epub 2016 Jul 20.

Authors

Tiziana Bisogno¹, Sergio Oddi², Alessandra Piccoli³, Domenico Fazio³, Mauro Maccarrone⁴

Affiliations

¹ Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
² Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy; European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy; European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: m.maccarrone@unicampus.it.

PMID: 27450295
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.07.021

Abstract

Based on its wide expression in immune cells, type-2 cannabinoid (CB2) receptors were traditionally thought to act as "peripheral receptors" with an almost exclusively immunomodulatory function. However, their recent identification in mammalian brain areas, as well as in distinct neuronal cells, has opened the way to a re-consideration of CB2 signaling in the context of brain pathophysiology, synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection. To date, accumulated evidence from several independent preclinical studies has offered new perspectives on the possible involvement of CB2 signaling in brain and spinal cord traumatic injury, as well as in the most relevant neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's chorea. Here, we will review available information on CB2 in these disease conditions, along with data that support also its therapeutic potential to treat them.

Keywords: AM630 (PubChem CID: 4302963); Endocannabinoid system; HU-308 (PubChem CID: 101014676); JWH-015 (PubChem CID: 4273754); JWH-133 (PubChem CID: 6918505); Neurodegeneration; PF3845 (PubChem CID: 25154867); SR144528 (PubChem CID: 3081355); Type-2 cannabinoid receptors; WIN 55,212-2 (PubChem CID: 6604176).

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain / drug effects
Brain / metabolism*
Brain / pathology
Brain / physiopathology
Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists / therapeutic use
Endocannabinoids / metabolism
Humans
Nerve Degeneration*
Neurodegenerative Diseases / drug therapy
Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism*
Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology
Neurodegenerative Diseases / physiopathology
Neurons / drug effects
Neurons / metabolism*
Neurons / pathology
Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use
Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / agonists
Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / metabolism*
Signal Transduction
Spinal Cord / drug effects
Spinal Cord / metabolism*
Spinal Cord / pathology
Spinal Cord / physiopathology

Substances

Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists
Endocannabinoids
Neuroprotective Agents
Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2