2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (26): 4214-4222

Activation of cannabinoid receptors promotes periodontal healing by regulating periodontal inflammation and bone remodeling

Zhao Yuan, Zhai Haoyan, Liu Chunyan   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cannabinoid receptors, by binding to ligands, modulate inflammation and bone volume in periodontitis and promote healing of periodontal tissue, which is of great significance in the clinical prevention and treatment of periodontitis.
OBJECTIVE: To review the relation between cannabinoid receptors and periodontitis, mainly cannabinoid type I (CB1) receptor and cannabinoid type II (CB2) receptor in relation to inflammation and remodeling of the alveolar bone, and the common cellular signaling pathways involved, thereby providing ideas for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis and its application in other clinical areas.
METHODS: Relevant literature included in PubMed, WanFang database, and CNKI Database from July 1985 to July 2022 was searched. Search terms were “cannabinoids receptor, CB1 receptor and periodontitis, CB2 receptor and periodontitis, CB1 receptors and bone remodeling, CB2 receptors and bone remodeling, CB1 receptors and signaling pathways, CB2 receptors and signaling pathways” in English and Chinese. Totally 107 papers were finally included for review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The endogenous cannabinoid system contains multiple receptors, the most representatives of which are CB1 and CB2 receptors, two members of the G protein-coupled superfamily. Both CB1 and CB2 receptors are expressed in periodontal tissue. In the presence of natural ligands or synthetic agonists, cannabinoid receptors can produce specific physiological effects in vitro and in vivo through different metabolic pathways. Then they can regulate the local inflammation and osteocyte generation and differentiation in periodontitis, ultimately influencing inflammation and bone mass. Further studies are needed on the relation between cannabinoid receptors and periodontitis inflammation and alveolar bone formation and resorption, as well as the common signaling pathways involved, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway. It has become the focus of current research to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis in clinical practice.

Key words: cannabinoid, CB1 receptor, CB2 receptor, periodontitis, inflammation, bone remodeling, MAPK signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway