Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD) revisited: Can this concept explain the therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24977967

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jun 30;35(3):198-201. [Epub ahead of print]

Smith SC, Wagner MS.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Ethan B. Russo's paper of December 1, 2003 explored the concept of a clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD) underlying the pathophysiology of migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other functional conditions alleviated by clinical cannabis.

METHODS:

Available literature was reviewed, including searches via the National Library of medicine database and other sources.

RESULTS:

A review of the literature indicates that significant progress has been made since Dr. Ethan B. Russo's landmark paper, just ten years ago (February 2, 2004). Investigation at that time suggested that cannabinoids can block spinal, peripheral and gastrointestional mechanisms that promote pain in headache, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and muscle spasm.

CONCLUSION:

Subsequent research has confirmed that underlying endocannabinoid deficiencies indeed play a role in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and a growing list of other medical conditions. Clinical experience is bearing this out. Further research and especially, clinical trials will further demonstrate the usefulness of medical cannabis. As legal barriers fall and scientific bias fades this will become more apparent.

PMID:

24977967

[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

CANNABINOIDS INCREASE LUNG CANCER CELL LYSIS (cell breakdown) BY LYMPHOKINE-ACTIVATED KILLER CELLS VIA UPREGULATION OF ICAM-1

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25069049

Biochem Pharmacol. 2014 Jul 25. pii: S0006-2952(14)00420-1. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2014.07.014. [Epub ahead of print]

Haustein M¹, Ramer R¹, Linnebacher M², Manda K³, Hinz B⁴.

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Abstract

Cannabinoids have been shown to promote the expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) on lung cancer cells as part of their anti-invasive and antimetastatic action. Using lung cancer cell lines (A549, H460) and metastatic cells derived from a lung cancer patient, the present study addressed the impact of cannabinoid-induced ICAM-1 on cancer cell adhesion to lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and LAK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, enhanced the susceptibility of cancer cells to adhere to and subsequently lysed by LAK cells, with both effects being reversed by a neutralizing ICAM-1 antibody. Increased cancer cell lysis by CBD was likewise abrogated when CBD-induced ICAM-1 expression was blocked by specific siRNA or by antagonists to cannabinoid receptors (CB₁, CB₂) and to transient receptor potential vanilloid 1. In addition, enhanced killing of CBD-treated cancer cells was reversed by preincubation of LAK cells with an antibody to lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) suggesting intercellular ICAM-1/LFA-1 crosslink as crucial event within this process. ICAM-1-dependent pro-killing effects were further confirmed for the phytocannabinoid Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and R(+)-methanandamide, a stable endocannabinoid analogue. Finally, each cannabinoid elicited no significant increase of LAK cell-mediated lysis of non-tumor bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B, associated with a far less pronounced (CBD, THC) or absent (R(+)-methanandamide) ICAM-1 induction as compared to cancer cells. Altogether, our data demonstrate cannabinoid-induced upregulation of ICAM-1 on lung cancer cells to be responsible for increased cancer cell susceptibility to LAK cell-mediated cytolysis. These findings provide proof for a novel antitumorigenic mechanism of cannabinoids.
Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Lysis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the biological definition of the word Lysis. For other uses, see Lysis (disambiguation).

Lysis (/ˈlaɪsɪs/; Greek λύσις lýsis, "a loosing" from λύειν lýein, "to unbind") refers to the breaking down of a cell, often by viral, enzymic, or osmotic mechanisms that compromise its integrity. A fluid containing the contents of lysed cells is called a "lysate".