The emerging role of the endocannabinoid system in endocrine regulation and energy balance

被引:657
作者
Pagotto, U [1 ]
Marsicano, G
Cota, D
Lutz, B
Pasquali, R
机构
[1] SantOrsola Malpighi Hosp, Dept Internal Med & Gastroenterol, Endocrinol Unit, I-40138 Bologna, Italy
[2] SantOrsola Malpighi Hosp, Dept Internal Med & Gastroenterol, Ctr Appl Biomed Res, I-40138 Bologna, Italy
[3] Johannes Gutenberg Univ Mainz, Dept Physiol Chem, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
[4] Univ Cincinnati, Dept Psychiat, Obes Res Ctr, Genome Res Inst, Cincinnati, OH 45237 USA
关键词
D O I
10.1210/er.2005-0009
中图分类号
R5 [内科学];
学科分类号
1002 ; 100201 ;
摘要
During the last few years, the endocannabinoid system has emerged as a highly relevant topic in the scientific community. Many different regulatory actions have been attributed to endocannabinoids, and their involvement in several pathophysiological conditions is under intense scrutiny. Cannabinoid receptors, named CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor, first discovered as the molecular targets of the psychotropic component of the plant Cannabis sativa, participate in the physiological modulation of many central and peripheral functions. CB2 receptor is mainly expressed in immune cells, whereas CB1 receptor is the most abundant G protein-coupled receptor expressed in the brain. CB1 receptor is expressed in the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, and its activation is known to modulate all the endocrine hypothalamic-peripheral endocrine axes. An increasing amount of data highlights the role of the system in the stress response by influencing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and in the control of reproduction by modifying gonadotropin release, fertility, and sexual behavior. The ability of the endocannabinoid system to control appetite, food intake, and energy balance has recently received great attention, particularly in the light of the different modes of action underlying these functions. The endocannabinoid system modulates rewarding properties of food by acting at specific mesolimbic areas in the brain. In the hypothalamus, CB1 receptor and endocannabinoids are integrated components of the networks controlling appetite and food intake. Interestingly, the endocannabinoid system was recently shown to control metabolic functions by acting on peripheral tissues, such as adipocytes, hepatocytes, the gastrointestinal tract, and, possibly, skeletal muscle. The relevance of the system is further strenghtened by the notion that drugs interfering with the activity of the endocannabinoid system are considered as promising candidates for the treatment of various diseases, including obesity.
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页码:73 / 100
页数:28
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