Abstract
The endocannabinoid system, composed of endogenous lipids, their target receptors and metabolic enzymes, has been implicated in multiple biological functions in health and disease, both in the central nervous system and in peripheral organs. Despite the exponential growth of experimental evidence on the key role of endocannabinoid signalling in basic cellular processes, and on its potential exploitation for therapeutic interventions, much remains to be clarified about the respective regulatory mechanisms. Epigenetics refers to a set of post-translational modifications that regulate gene expression without causing variation in DNA sequence, endowed with a major impact on signal transduction pathways. The epigenetic machinery includes DNA methylation, histone modifications, nucleosome positioning and non-coding RNAs. Due to the reversibility of epigenetic changes, an emerging field of interest is the possibility of an 'epigenetic therapy' that could possibly be applied also to endocannabinoids. Here, we review current knowledge of epigenetic regulation of endocannabinoid system components under both physiological and pathological conditions, as well as the epigenetic changes induced by endocannabinoid signalling.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1905-1917 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | FEBS Journal |
| Volume | 280 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2013 |
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Keywords
- cannabinoid receptors
- DNA methylation
- endocannabinoids
- epigenetic mechanisms
- histone modifications
- metabolic enzymes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Cite this
Epigenetic mechanisms and endocannabinoid signalling. / D'Addario, Claudio; Di Francesco, Andrea; Pucci, Mariangela; Finazzi Agrò, Alessandro; MacCarrone, Mauro.
In: FEBS Journal, Vol. 280, No. 9, 05.2013, p. 1905-1917.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Epigenetic mechanisms and endocannabinoid signalling
AU - D'Addario, Claudio
AU - Di Francesco, Andrea
AU - Pucci, Mariangela
AU - Finazzi Agrò, Alessandro
AU - MacCarrone, Mauro
PY - 2013/5
Y1 - 2013/5
N2 - The endocannabinoid system, composed of endogenous lipids, their target receptors and metabolic enzymes, has been implicated in multiple biological functions in health and disease, both in the central nervous system and in peripheral organs. Despite the exponential growth of experimental evidence on the key role of endocannabinoid signalling in basic cellular processes, and on its potential exploitation for therapeutic interventions, much remains to be clarified about the respective regulatory mechanisms. Epigenetics refers to a set of post-translational modifications that regulate gene expression without causing variation in DNA sequence, endowed with a major impact on signal transduction pathways. The epigenetic machinery includes DNA methylation, histone modifications, nucleosome positioning and non-coding RNAs. Due to the reversibility of epigenetic changes, an emerging field of interest is the possibility of an 'epigenetic therapy' that could possibly be applied also to endocannabinoids. Here, we review current knowledge of epigenetic regulation of endocannabinoid system components under both physiological and pathological conditions, as well as the epigenetic changes induced by endocannabinoid signalling.
AB - The endocannabinoid system, composed of endogenous lipids, their target receptors and metabolic enzymes, has been implicated in multiple biological functions in health and disease, both in the central nervous system and in peripheral organs. Despite the exponential growth of experimental evidence on the key role of endocannabinoid signalling in basic cellular processes, and on its potential exploitation for therapeutic interventions, much remains to be clarified about the respective regulatory mechanisms. Epigenetics refers to a set of post-translational modifications that regulate gene expression without causing variation in DNA sequence, endowed with a major impact on signal transduction pathways. The epigenetic machinery includes DNA methylation, histone modifications, nucleosome positioning and non-coding RNAs. Due to the reversibility of epigenetic changes, an emerging field of interest is the possibility of an 'epigenetic therapy' that could possibly be applied also to endocannabinoids. Here, we review current knowledge of epigenetic regulation of endocannabinoid system components under both physiological and pathological conditions, as well as the epigenetic changes induced by endocannabinoid signalling.
KW - cannabinoid receptors
KW - DNA methylation
KW - endocannabinoids
KW - epigenetic mechanisms
KW - histone modifications
KW - metabolic enzymes
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84876931006&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/febs.12125
DO - 10.1111/febs.12125
M3 - Article
C2 - 23305292
AN - SCOPUS:84876931006
VL - 280
SP - 1905
EP - 1917
JO - FEBS Journal
JF - FEBS Journal
SN - 1742-464X
IS - 9
ER -