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Table 1 A summary table of cannabinoid effects on various cellular processes

From: The grass isn’t always greener: The effects of cannabis on embryological development

Specific Protein or Process

Effect of Cannabinoid on Protein or Process

Downstream Effect

Study Method

Study

Angiogenic proteins

Administration of the cannabinoid JWH altered the expression of 10 genes which are all directly or indirectly related to the VEGF pathway

Disruption of normal angiogenesis

In vivo. Mice bearing s.c. gliomas injected with JWH

Blazquez et al., 2004. [36]

Apoptosis (Epithelial tumor)

Treatment of PDV.C57 cells with the cannabinoid WIN induces apoptosis

Premature cellular death

In vitro. Treatment of skin tumor cells with WIN

Casanova et al., 2003. [43]

Apoptosis (HUVEC)

Cannabinoid-induced HUVEC death occurred by apoptosis

Premature cellular death

In vitro. HUVEC cells treated with WIN

Blazquez et al., 2003. [42]

Cellular Migration

Cannabidiol treatments causes a decrease in cell migration in a concentration dependent manner.

Reduced cellular migration, possible impairment of cellular differentiation

In vivo and In vitro. Cannabidiol treatment of HUVEC cells and treatment of C57/BL6 mice

Solinas et al., 2012. [41]

Ceremides

The ceramide-dependent cannabinoid-induced inhibition of VEGFR-2 activation is found in cultured glioma cells

Disruption of cellular messaging

In vitro. Mice bearing s.c. gliomas injected with JWH and WIN

Blazquez et al., 2004. [36]

Folic acid

Chronic Cannabidiol consumption results in a decrease in folic acid uptake, while acute Cannabidiol consumption results in no effect on folic acid uptake

Disruption of DNA replication, possible neural tube defects

In vitro. Cannabidiol treatment of BeWo cells incubated with folic acid

Araújo et al., 2009. [35]

PCNA

Treatment of LNCaP cells with the cannabinoid WIN results in a significant decrease in protein expression of PCNA in a dose dependent manner.

Disruption of DNA replication

In vitro. LNCaP cancer cells treated with WIN

Sarfaraz et al., 2005. [40]

VEGF

Cannabidiol significantly inhibits the VEGF induced outgrowth of capillary-like structures

Disruption of normal angiogenesis

In vitro. Inhibition of the in-vitro angiogenesis in HUVEC Cells

Solinas et al., 2012. [41]

  1. Abbreviations: HUVEC Human umbilical vein endothelial cell, JWH JWH-133 (Cannabinoid and CB2 agonist), LNCaP androgen-sensitive human prostate adenocarcinoma cells, PCNA Proliferating cell nuclear antigen, S.c. Subcutaneous, VEGF Vascular endothelial growth factor, WIN WIN-55,212-2 (Cannabinoid and CB1 agonist)