Meccariello Rosaria, Battista Natalia, Bradshaw Heather B, Wang Haibin
Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università di Napoli Parthenope, via Medina 40, 80133 Napoli, Italy.
Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy ; European Center for Brain Research (CERC), Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy.
Int J Endocrinol. 2014;2014:412354. doi: 10.1155/2014/412354. Epub 2014 Jan 16.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an evolutionarily conserved master system deeply involved in the central and local control of reproductive functions in both sexes. The tone of these lipid mediators-deeply modulated by the activity of biosynthetic and hydrolyzing machineries-regulates reproductive functions from gonadotropin discharge and steroid biosynthesis to the formation of high quality gametes and successful pregnancy. This review provides an overview on ECS and reproduction and focuses on the insights in the regulation of endocannabinoid production by steroids, in the regulation of male reproductive activity, and in placentation and parturition. Taken all together, evidences emerge that the activity of the ECS is crucial for procreation and may represent a target for the therapeutic exploitation of infertility.
内源性大麻素系统（ECS）是一个在进化上保守的主要系统，深度参与两性生殖功能的中枢和局部调控。这些脂质介质的水平受到生物合成和水解机制活性的深度调节，从促性腺激素释放和类固醇生物合成到高质量配子的形成以及成功妊娠，调控着生殖功能。本综述概述了ECS与生殖的关系，并重点阐述了类固醇对内源性大麻素产生的调控、对雄性生殖活动的调控以及对胎盘形成和分娩的调控方面的见解。综合来看，有证据表明ECS的活性对生殖至关重要，可能成为治疗不孕症的靶点。
