Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
Hematology, Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest, 55100 Lucca, Italy.
Molecules. 2021 Jun 24;26(13):3866. doi: 10.3390/molecules26133866.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a composite cell-signaling system that allows endogenous cannabinoid ligands to control cell functions through the interaction with cannabinoid receptors. Modifications of the ECS might contribute to the pathogenesis of different diseases, including cancers. However, the use of these compounds as antitumor agents remains debatable. Pre-clinical experimental studies have shown that cannabinoids (CBs) might be effective for the treatment of hematological malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Specifically, CBs may activate programmed cell death mechanisms, thus blocking cancer cell growth, and may modulate both autophagy and angiogenesis. Therefore, CBs may have significant anti-tumor effects in hematologic diseases and may synergistically act with chemotherapeutic agents, possibly also reducing chemoresistance. Moreover, targeting ECS might be considered as a novel approach for the management of graft versus host disease, thus reducing some symptoms such as anorexia, cachexia, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and neuropathic pain. The aim of the present review is to collect the state of the art of CBs effects on hematological tumors, thus focusing on the essential topics that might be useful before moving into the clinical practice.
内源性大麻素系统 (ECS) 是一种复合细胞信号系统,允许内源性大麻素配体通过与大麻素受体相互作用来控制细胞功能。ECS 的改变可能有助于包括癌症在内的不同疾病的发病机制。然而,这些化合物作为抗肿瘤药物的使用仍然存在争议。临床前实验研究表明,大麻素 (CBs) 可能对治疗血液系统恶性肿瘤如白血病和淋巴瘤有效。具体而言,CBs 可能激活程序性细胞死亡机制,从而阻止癌细胞生长,并可能调节自噬和血管生成。因此,CBs 可能在血液疾病中有显著的抗肿瘤作用,并可能与化疗药物协同作用,可能还降低化疗耐药性。此外,靶向 ECS 可能被认为是管理移植物抗宿主病的一种新方法,从而减轻厌食、恶病质、疲劳、焦虑、抑郁和神经病理性疼痛等一些症状。本综述的目的是收集 CBs 对血液肿瘤影响的最新进展,因此重点关注在进入临床实践之前可能有用的基本主题。