CB2 and CB1 receptors are expressed on nearly all immune cell types found in tumors, and activating these receptors modulates immune responses in ways that could potentially be harnessed for cancer therapy.
Cancer researchers, immunologists, people interested in cannabinoid-based cancer therapies
CB2 receptors are expressed on nearly all immune cell types found in tumors
What the researchers found
CB2 and CB1 receptors are expressed on T cells, macrophages, mast cells, neutrophils, NK cells, dendritic cells, monocytes, and eosinophils within the tumor microenvironment. Cannabinoids can modulate apoptosis, autophagy, proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis in cancer.
Why it matters
Understanding how cannabinoid receptors on immune cells influence tumor development could lead to novel immunotherapy approaches that complement existing cancer treatments.
The numbers in context
CB1 and CB2 receptors are G protein-coupled receptors; CB2 is more widely expressed on immune cells; cannabinoids inhibit angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in vitro and in vivo
How the study worked
Review examining the expression and function of cannabinoid receptors on immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, drawing on preclinical research.
What this study cannot tell us
Most evidence is preclinical. The expression of CB receptors on different immune cell subsets in human tumors is incompletely characterized. Effects may differ by cancer type.
How to read the evidence
Review of primarily preclinical evidence on cannabinoid receptor expression and function in tumor immunology
When this study was published
Published in 2021. Cannabinoid-immune interactions in cancer remain an active area of preclinical research.
The bigger picture
The intersection of the endocannabinoid system and cancer immunology is a frontier area where cannabinoid-based drugs could potentially join the growing arsenal of cancer immunotherapies.
Questions still open
- Could selective CB2 agonists be developed as cancer immunotherapy agents? Do different cancers show different patterns of cannabinoid receptor expression on their immune infiltrates? Would cannabinoid-based treatments complement or interfere with checkpoint immunotherapy?
Common questions
Do cannabinoid receptors affect cancer?
Could cannabinoids be used in cancer treatment?
Read the original research
The Interplay between the Immune and the Endocannabinoid Systems in Cancer.
Cells, 10(6)
Citation
Braile, Mariantonia; Marcella, Simone; Marone, Gianni; Galdiero, Maria Rosaria; Varricchi, Gilda; Loffredo, Stefania. (2021). The Interplay between the Immune and the Endocannabinoid Systems in Cancer.. Cells, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061282
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