title: Update on the endocannabinoid-mediated regulation of gelatinase release in arterial wall physiology and atherosclerotic pathophysiology.
abstract: Endocannabinoids are endogenous bioactive lipids ubiquitously distributed in several tissues (e.g., brain, adipose tissue, liver, heart and arterial vessels), which play a crucial role in atherosclerosis. Endocannabinoids have been shown to promote cell homeostasis and modulate inflammatory bioactivities mainly via the binding to transmembrane receptors (called cannabinoid type 1 and cannabinoid type 2 receptors, respectively). Although other cannabinoid receptors have been recently identified and shown to play a crucial role in cardiovascular pathophysiology, so far, the pharmacological targeting of both cannabinoid type 1 and cannabinoid type 2 receptors has been described as a promising therapeutic target in atherogenesis and associated inflammatory processes. In particular, endocannabinoids have been shown to modulate the release and activation of matrix degrading enzymes (i.e., matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs]) increasing intraplaque vulnerability. In this article the authors describe the pivotal regulatory activity of the endocannabinoid system on gelatinase (MMP-2 and -9) bioactivity in the arterial wall physiology and pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, avenue de la Roseraie 64, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Michel-Monigadon
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molica
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mach
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montecucco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000502:physiology*; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000502:physiology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D063388:Endocannabinoids; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D018093:Gelatinases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases