Cannabinoid exposure during pregnancy and its impact on immune function

Cannabinoids are the most commonly abused illicit drugs worldwide. While cannabis can be beneficial for certain heath conditions, abuse of potent synthetic cannabinoids has been on the rise. Exposure to cannabinoids is also prevalent in women of child-bearing age and pregnant women. These compounds...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS 2019-02, Vol.76 (4), p.729-743
Main Authors: Dong, Catherine, Chen, Jingwen, Harrington, Amy, Vinod, K. Yaragudri, Hegde, Muralidhar L., Hegde, Venkatesh L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abuse
Adaptive Immunity - drug effects
Adaptive Immunity - immunology
Adaptive systems
Apoptosis
Biochemistry
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Cancer
Cannabinoid CB1 receptors
Cannabinoid CB2 receptors
Cannabinoids - chemistry
Cannabinoids - poisoning
Cannabis
Cell Biology
Drug abuse
Exposure
Female
Fetal Development - drug effects
Fetal Development - immunology
Fetuses
Genetic crosses
Humans
Immune response
Immune system
Immune System - drug effects
Immune System - embryology
Immune System - immunology
Immunity, Innate - drug effects
Immunity, Innate - immunology
Immunomodulation
Immunosuppressive agents
Intrauterine exposure
Life Sciences
Lymphoid cells
Molecular Structure
Offspring
Placenta
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - chemically induced
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - immunology
Proteins
Receptors
Review
Suppressor cells
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Cannabinoids are the most commonly abused illicit drugs worldwide. While cannabis can be beneficial for certain heath conditions, abuse of potent synthetic cannabinoids has been on the rise. Exposure to cannabinoids is also prevalent in women of child-bearing age and pregnant women. These compounds can cross the placental barrier and directly affect the fetus. They mediate their effects primarily through G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. In addition to significant neurological effects, cannabinoids can trigger robust immunomodulation by altering cytokine levels, causing apoptosis of lymphoid cells and inducing suppressor cells of the immune system. Profound effects of cannabinoids on the immune system as discussed in this review, suggest that maternal exposure during pregnancy could lead to dysregulation of innate and adaptive immune system of developing fetus and offspring potentially leading to weakening of immune defenses against infections and cancer later in life. Emerging evidence also indicates the underlying role of epigenetic mechanisms causing long-lasting impact following cannabinoid exposure in utero.
ISSN:1420-682X
1420-9071
DOI:10.1007/s00018-018-2955-0