Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Piazza Aldo Moro 45, Teramo 64100, Italy.
Prog Lipid Res. 2009 Nov;48(6):344-54. doi: 10.1016/j.plipres.2009.07.001. Epub 2009 Jul 12.
Endocannabinoids are fatty acid amides like anandamide (AEA), and monoacylglycerols like 2-arachidonoylglycerol, that bind to cannabinoid, vanilloid and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Their biological actions are controlled through not yet fully characterized cellular mechanisms. These compounds, together with their related enzymes, that include key proteins for the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids, cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid receptors, and purported membrane transporter(s), form the "endocannabinoid system (ECS)". In the past few years AEA and related ECS elements have emerged as essential players in various aspects of human reproduction, both for males and females. Here, the key features of the ECS and the potential of its components to direct human fertility towards a positive or negative end will be reviewed. In particular, the involvement of AEA and related ECS elements in regulating embryo oviductal transport, blastocyst implantation and placental development (in females), and sperm survival, motility, capacitation and acrosome reaction (in males) will be addressed, as well as the role of endocannabinoids in sperm-oviduct interactions. Additionally, the possibility that blood AEA and its hydrolase FAAH may represent reliable diagnostic markers of natural and assisted reproduction in humans will be discussed, along with the therapeutic exploitation of ECS-oriented drugs as useful fertility enhancers.
内源性大麻素是脂肪酸酰胺，如花生四烯酸乙醇酰胺（AEA），和单酰基甘油，如 2-花生四烯酰基甘油，它们与大麻素、香草素和过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体结合。它们的生物作用通过尚未完全描述的细胞机制来控制。这些化合物及其相关的酶，包括内源性大麻素、大麻素和非大麻素受体的合成和降解的关键蛋白，以及据称的膜转运蛋白（s），构成了“内源性大麻素系统（ECS）”。在过去的几年中，AEA 和相关的 ECS 元素已成为人类生殖各个方面的重要参与者，无论是男性还是女性。在这里，将回顾 ECS 的关键特征及其成分将人类生育力导向积极或消极结果的潜力。特别是，AEA 和相关的 ECS 元素在调节胚胎输卵管运输、囊胚着床和胎盘发育（女性）以及精子存活、运动能力、获能和顶体反应（男性）中的作用，以及内源性大麻素在精子-输卵管相互作用中的作用。此外，还将讨论血液中的 AEA 和其水解酶 FAAH 是否可以作为人类自然和辅助生殖的可靠诊断标志物，以及以 ECS 为导向的药物的治疗性利用作为有用的生育增强剂。
