“Activation of the endocannabinoid system through CB1, CB2 and additional receptor subtypes results in the inhibition of a broad range of cancers.
The endocannabinoid system was discovered through research focusing on the classical cannabinoid agonist, ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (?9-THC), and other synthetic cannabinoids.
This proposal will focus on the potential treatment of human breast cancer using cannabinoids as selective antitumor agents.
We have found that cannabinoid compounds activating CB1, CB2 and additional receptor subtypes can inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness and we have discovered down-stream targets that potentially link cannabinoid receptor stimulation to these effects.
Furthermore, our preliminary studies provide evidence that endogenous endocannabinoid tone tonically inhibits metastatic breast cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness through the activation of cannabinoid receptors.
Our preliminary data also suggests that cannabinoid compounds possess selective efficacy, having less adverse effects on the normal human cells from which the breast cancers arise.
Since toxicity in healthy tissue limits the efficacy of current cancer treatments, discovering the mechanism behind selective efficacy in human tissues is of clinical importance.
Cannabinoids can inhibit multiple types of tumor growth in vivo…
Testing the hypotheses outlined in the application may lead to the development of effective inhibitors of breast, and perhaps other, cancers.
This research may also elucidate novel mechanisms related to the anticancer activity of cannabinoids, and will serve to develop the career of the candidate in the field of cancer biology.”
