Title:Role of the Endocannabinoidome in Human and Mouse Atherosclerosis
Volume: 25
Issue: 29
Author(s): Fabiana Piscitelli and Cristoforo Silvestri*
Affiliation:
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC,Canada
Keywords:
Endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, cardiovascular, atherogenesis, gut microbiome, atherosclerosis.
Abstract: The Endocannabinoid (eCB) system and its role in many physiological and pathological conditions is
well described and accepted, and includes cardiovascular disorders. However, the eCB system has been expanded
to an “-ome”; the endocannabinoidome (eCBome) that includes endocannabinoid-related mediators, their protein
targets and metabolic enzymes, many of which significantly impact upon cardiometabolic health. These recent
discoveries are here summarized with a special focus on their potential involvement in atherosclerosis. We described
the role of classical components of the eCB system (eCBs, CB1 and CB2 receptors) and eCB-related lipids,
their regulatory enzymes and molecular targets in atherosclerosis. Furthermore, since increasing evidence
points to significant cross-talk between the eCBome and the gut microbiome and the gut microbiome and atherosclerosis,
we explore the possibility that a gut microbiome - eCBome axis has potential implications in atherosclerosis.