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CB 2 cannabinoid receptors as an emerging target for demyelinating diseases: from neuroimmune interactions to cell replacement strategies
Author(s) -
ArévaloMartín Á,
GarcíaOvejero D,
Gómez O,
RubioAraiz A,
NavarroGalve B,
Guaza C,
MolinaHolgado E,
MolinaHolgado F
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707466
Subject(s) - multiple sclerosis , receptor , immune system , medicine , encephalomyelitis , experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , cannabinoid receptor , immunology , demyelinating disease , neuroscience , inflammation , pharmacology , biology , agonist
Amongst the various demyelinating diseases that affect the central nervous system, those induced by an inflammatory response stand out because of their epidemiological relevance. The best known inflammatory‐induced demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis, but the immune response is a common pathogenic mechanism in many other less common pathologies (e.g., acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and acute necrotizing haemorrhagic encephalomyelitis). In all such cases, modulation of the immune response seems to be a logical therapeutic approach. Cannabinoids are well known immunomodulatory molecules that act through CB 1 and CB 2 receptors. While activation of CB 1 receptors has a psychotropic effect, activation of CB 2 receptors alone does not. Therefore, to bypass the ethical problems that could result from the treatment of inflammation with psychotropic molecules, considerable effort is being made to study the potential therapeutic value of activating CB 2 receptors. In this review we examine the current knowledge and understanding of the utility of cannabinoids as therapeutic molecules for inflammatory‐mediated demyelinating pathologies. Moreover, we discuss how CB 2 receptor activation is related to the modulation of immunopathogenic states. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 153 , 216–225; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707466 ; published online 24 September 2007