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Cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in liver diseases
Anna Parfieniuk-Kowerda1, Diana Martonik1, Aleksandra Andrzejuk2
1Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland.
Clinical and Experimental Hepatology
|April 28, 2025
Summary
Cannabinoids interact with CB1 and CB2 receptors in the liver, influencing fibrosis and inflammation. Targeting the endocannabinoid system may offer new therapeutic strategies for liver diseases.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cannabinoids are active compounds that interact with CB1 and CB2 receptors.
- Elevated expression of these receptors is observed in myofibroblasts and liver endothelial cells during chronic liver diseases.
- The endocannabinoid system plays a significant role in liver pathophysiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of the endocannabinoid system in liver diseases.
- To investigate the differential effects of CB1 and CB2 receptor activation on liver fibrosis and inflammation.
- To assess the potential of targeting endocannabinoid transmission for developing novel hepatological drugs.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on cannabinoid signaling in liver disease.
- Analysis of the impact of CB1 and CB2 receptor stimulation on hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis.
- Examination of the endocannabinoid system's involvement in end-stage liver disease complications.
Main Results:
- CB1 receptor stimulation exacerbates liver fibrosis, inflammation, steatosis, and carcinogenesis.
- CB2 receptor activation demonstrates inhibitory effects on liver fibrosis.
- The endocannabinoid system is implicated in encephalopathy and vascular dysfunction in end-stage liver disease.
Conclusions:
- Cannabinoid receptor signaling has opposing effects on liver fibrosis, with CB1 promoting and CB2 inhibiting it.
- Dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system contributes to the progression of chronic liver diseases and their complications.
- Modulating endocannabinoid transmission presents a promising therapeutic avenue for liver disease treatment.
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