Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation
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 G<sub>i/o</sub> protein-coupled cannabinoid CB<sub>...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2348 |
| _version_ | 1797624425292496896 |
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| author | Kangtai Xu Yifei Wu Zhuangzhuang Tian Yuanfan Xu Chaoran Wu Zilong Wang |
| author_facet | Kangtai Xu Yifei Wu Zhuangzhuang Tian Yuanfan Xu Chaoran Wu Zilong Wang |
| author_sort | Kangtai Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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 G<sub>i/o</sub> protein-coupled cannabinoid CB<sub>1</sub> and CB<sub>2</sub> receptors. The CB<sub>1</sub> receptors are abundantly expressed in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. The central activation of CB<sub>1</sub> receptors is strongly associated with psychotropic adverse effects, thus largely limiting its therapeutic potential. However, the CB<sub>2</sub> 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 CB<sub>2</sub> 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 CB<sub>2</sub> receptors in spinal nociceptive circuitry, highlighting the mechanism of CB<sub>2</sub> receptors in modulating microglia function and its implications for CB<sub>2</sub> receptor- selective agonist-mediated analgesia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:42:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bdd81c5dfb2d498bac3778018eb3c5be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:42:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-bdd81c5dfb2d498bac3778018eb3c5be2023-11-16T16:55:55ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-01-01243234810.3390/ijms24032348Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain ModulationKangtai Xu0Yifei Wu1Zhuangzhuang Tian2Yuanfan Xu3Chaoran Wu4Zilong Wang5Department 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, ChinaDepartment 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, ChinaDepartment 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, ChinaDepartment 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, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaDepartment 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, ChinaPain, 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 G<sub>i/o</sub> protein-coupled cannabinoid CB<sub>1</sub> and CB<sub>2</sub> receptors. The CB<sub>1</sub> receptors are abundantly expressed in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. The central activation of CB<sub>1</sub> receptors is strongly associated with psychotropic adverse effects, thus largely limiting its therapeutic potential. However, the CB<sub>2</sub> 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 CB<sub>2</sub> 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 CB<sub>2</sub> receptors in spinal nociceptive circuitry, highlighting the mechanism of CB<sub>2</sub> receptors in modulating microglia function and its implications for CB<sub>2</sub> receptor- selective agonist-mediated analgesia.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2348the endocannabinoid systemCB<sub>2</sub> receptorsmicrogliapathological pain |
| spellingShingle | Kangtai Xu Yifei Wu Zhuangzhuang Tian Yuanfan Xu Chaoran Wu Zilong Wang Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation International Journal of Molecular Sciences the endocannabinoid system CB<sub>2</sub> receptors microglia pathological pain |
| title | Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation |
| title_full | Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation |
| title_fullStr | Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation |
| title_short | Microglial Cannabinoid CB<sub>2</sub> Receptors in Pain Modulation |
| title_sort | microglial cannabinoid cb sub 2 sub receptors in pain modulation |
| topic | the endocannabinoid system CB<sub>2</sub> receptors microglia pathological pain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2348 |
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