Department of Pediatrics, and the Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, HSC 3N11H, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, HSC 3N52A, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
J Ovarian Res. 2019 Jan 15;12(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s13048-018-0478-9.
There has been increasing interest in the role of endocannabinoids as critical modulators of the female reproductive processes. Endocannabinoids are natural ligands of cannabinoid, vanilloid, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Together with their receptors, enzymes and downstream signaling targets, they form the endocannabinoid system (ECS). While the ECS is known to modulate pain and neurodevelopment, it is also known to impact the female reproductive system where it affects folliculogenesis, oocyte maturation, and ovarian endocrine secretion. In addition, the ECS affects oviductal embryo transport, implantation, uterine decidualization and placentation. There is a complex interplay between the ECS and the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, and an intricate crosstalk between the ECS and steroid hormone production and secretion. Exogenous cannabinoids, derived from plants such as Cannabis sativa, are also ligands for cannabinoid receptors. These have been shown to have clinical outcomes related to ECS dysregulation, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, along with adverse effects on female reproduction. The aim of this review is to describe and discuss data from human, animal, and in vitro studies that support the important role of the endocannabinoid system in female reproductive tissues and processes. In particular, we will discuss some of the mechanisms by which endocannabinoid signaling can affect ovarian function in both physiological and pathophysiological states.
人们对内源性大麻素在女性生殖过程中的关键调节作用越来越感兴趣。内源性大麻素是大麻素、香草素和过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体的天然配体。它们与其受体、酶和下游信号靶标一起构成了内源性大麻素系统 (ECS)。虽然 ECS 已知可调节疼痛和神经发育，但它也会影响女性生殖系统，影响卵泡发生、卵母细胞成熟和卵巢内分泌分泌。此外，ECS 还影响输卵管胚胎运输、着床、子宫蜕膜化和胎盘形成。ECS 与下丘脑-垂体-卵巢轴之间存在复杂的相互作用，ECS 与甾体激素的产生和分泌之间存在复杂的串扰。来源于大麻属植物如大麻的外源性大麻素也是大麻素受体的配体。这些配体已被证明与 ECS 失调有关的临床结果有关，包括多发性硬化症、阿尔茨海默病和肌萎缩侧索硬化症，以及对女性生殖的不良影响。本综述的目的是描述和讨论来自人类、动物和体外研究的数据，这些数据支持内源性大麻素系统在女性生殖组织和过程中的重要作用。特别是，我们将讨论内源性大麻素信号在生理和病理生理状态下影响卵巢功能的一些机制。
