Microglial Cannabinoid CB2 Receptors in Pain Modulation. 2023

Kangtai Xu, and Yifei Wu, and Zhuangzhuang Tian, and Yuanfan Xu, and Chaoran Wu, and Zilong Wang
Department of Medical Neuroscience, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, SUSTech Center for Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.

Pain, especially chronic pain, can strongly affect patients' quality of life. Cannabinoids ponhave been reported to produce potent analgesic effects in different preclinical pain models, where they primarily function as agonists of Gi/o protein-coupled cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors. The CB1 receptors are abundantly expressed in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. The central activation of CB1 receptors is strongly associated with psychotropic adverse effects, thus largely limiting its therapeutic potential. However, the CB2 receptors are promising targets for pain treatment without psychotropic adverse effects, as they are primarily expressed in immune cells. Additionally, as the resident immune cells in the central nervous system, microglia are increasingly recognized as critical players in chronic pain. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the expression of CB2 receptors is significantly increased in activated microglia in the spinal cord, which exerts protective consequences within the surrounding neural circuitry by regulating the activity and function of microglia. In this review, we focused on recent advances in understanding the role of microglial CB2 receptors in spinal nociceptive circuitry, highlighting the mechanism of CB2 receptors in modulating microglia function and its implications for CB2 receptor- selective agonist-mediated analgesia.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011788 Quality of Life A generic concept reflecting concern with the modification and enhancement of life attributes, e.g., physical, political, moral, social environment as well as health and disease. HRQOL,Health-Related Quality Of Life,Life Quality,Health Related Quality Of Life
D002186 Cannabinoids Compounds having the cannabinoid structure. They were originally extracted from Cannabis sativa L. The most pharmacologically active constituents are TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL; CANNABINOL; and CANNABIDIOL. Cannabinoid
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D017628 Microglia The third type of glial cell, along with astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (which together form the macroglia). Microglia vary in appearance depending on developmental stage, functional state, and anatomical location; subtype terms include ramified, perivascular, ameboid, resting, and activated. Microglia clearly are capable of phagocytosis and play an important role in a wide spectrum of neuropathologies. They have also been suggested to act in several other roles including in secretion (e.g., of cytokines and neural growth factors), in immunological processing (e.g., antigen presentation), and in central nervous system development and remodeling. Microglial Cell,Cell, Microglial,Microglial Cells,Microglias
D043882 Receptors, Cannabinoid A class of G-protein-coupled receptors that are specific for CANNABINOIDS such as those derived from CANNABIS. They also bind a structurally distinct class of endogenous factors referred to as ENDOCANNABINOIDS. The receptor class may play a role in modulating the release of signaling molecules such as NEUROTRANSMITTERS and CYTOKINES. Cannabinoid Receptor,Cannabinoid Receptors,Receptor, Cannabinoid
D043884 Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 A subclass of cannabinoid receptor found primarily on central and peripheral NEURONS where it may play a role modulating NEUROTRANSMITTER release. Cannabinoid Receptor CB1,CB1 Receptor,Receptor CB1, Cannabinoid,Receptor, CB1
D043885 Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 A subclass of cannabinoid receptor found primarily on immune cells where it may play a role modulating release of CYTOKINES. Cannabinoid Receptor CB2,CB2 Receptor,CB2, Cannabinoid Receptor,Receptor CB2, Cannabinoid,Receptor, CB2
D059350 Chronic Pain Aching sensation that persists for more than a few months. It may or may not be associated with trauma or disease, and may persist after the initial injury has healed. Its localization, character, and timing are more vague than with acute pain. Chronic Primary Pain,Chronic Secondary Pain,Pain, Chronic,Widespread Chronic Pain,Chronic Pain, Widespread,Pain, Chronic Primary,Pain, Chronic Secondary,Pain, Widespread Chronic,Primary Pain, Chronic,Secondary Pain, Chronic

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