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Endocannabinoids and the Immune System in Health and Disease

  • Chapter
Endocannabinoids

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 231))

Abstract

Endocannabinoids are bioactive lipids that have the potential to signal through cannabinoid receptors to modulate the functional activities of a variety of immune cells. Their activation of these seven-transmembranal, G protein-coupled receptors sets in motion a series of signal transductional events that converge at the transcriptional level to regulate cell migration and the production of cytokines and chemokines. There is a large body of data that supports a functional relevance for 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) as acting through the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) to inhibit migratory activities for a diverse array of immune cell types. However, unequivocal data that supports a functional linkage of anandamide (AEA) to a cannabinoid receptor in immune modulation remains to be obtained. Endocannabinoids, as typical bioactive lipids, have a short half-life and appear to act in an autocrine and paracrine fashion. Their immediate effective action on immune function may be at localized sites in the periphery and within the central nervous system. It is speculated that endocannabinoids play an important role in maintaining the overall “fine-tuning” of the immune homeostatic balance within the host.

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Abbreviations

2-AG:

2-Arachidonoylglycerol

Abn-CBD:

Abnormal cannabidiol

AEA:

Anandamide

ALIA:

Autacoid local inflammation antagonism

ApoE:

Apolipoprotein E

Arg-1:

Arginase 1

BBB:

Blood–brain barrier

CB1R:

Cannabinoid receptor type 1

CB2R:

Cannabinoid receptor type 2

ConA:

Concanavalin A

CNS:

Central nervous system

COX:

Cyclooxygenase

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

FAAH:

Fatty acid amide hydrolase

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

HSV-1:

Herpes simplex virus type 1

HUVECs:

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells

IL:

Interleukin

IRAK1BP1:

IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 binding protein

iNOS:

Inducible nitric oxide synthase

IFN:

Interferon

LC-APCI-MS:

Liquid-chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry

L-NAME:

L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharide

LTB4 :

Leukotriene B4

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

mBSA:

Methylated bovine serum albumin

MCP-1:

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1

mDCs:

Myeloid dendritic cells

MHC:

Major histocompatibility complex

MKP-1:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1

MS:

Multiple sclerosis

NADA:

N-Arachidonoyldopamine

NAGly:

N-Arachidonoyl glycine

NK cell:

Natural killer cell

NMDA:

N-Methyl-D-aspartate

NO:

Nitric oxide

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

pDCs:

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells

PGD2:

Prostaglandin D2

PGE2:

Prostaglandin E2

PMN:

Polymorphonuclear

PPARγ:

Peroxidase proliferator-activated receptor γ

PSGL1:

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RSV:

Respiratory syncytial virus

TAK1:

TGF-β-activated kinase 1

Tat:

Trans-activator of transcription

Tc:

Cytotoxic T cells

TCR:

T-cell receptor

Th cells:

T helper cells

TLRs:

Toll-like receptors

TMEV:

Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

TMEV-IDD:

Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

TRAF6:

TNF receptor-associated factor 6

Tregs :

Regulatory T cells

VCAM:

Vascular cell adhesion molecules

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Guy A. Cabral & Gabriela A. Ferreira

  2. Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Melissa J. Jamerson

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  1. Guy A. Cabral
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  2. Gabriela A. Ferreira
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  3. Melissa J. Jamerson
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Correspondence to Guy A. Cabral .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Neuropharmacology, University of Aberdeen Institute of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

    Roger G. Pertwee

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Cabral, G.A., Ferreira, G.A., Jamerson, M.J. (2015). Endocannabinoids and the Immune System in Health and Disease. In: Pertwee, R. (eds) Endocannabinoids. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 231. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20825-1_6

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