Cannabis compounds have anti-inflammatory activity in lung epithelial cells but pro-inflammatory activity in macrophages while increasing phagocytosis in vitro

Autor: Seegehalli M Anil, Nurit Shalev, Ajjampura C Vinayaka, Stalin Nadarajan, Dvory Namdar, Eduard Belausov, Irit Shoval, Karthik Ananth Mani, Guy Mechrez, Hinanit Koltai
Rok vydání: 2020
Popis: Cannabis sativa is widely used for medical purposes and has anti-inflammatory activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory activity of cannabis on markers of immune responses associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inflammation. An extract fraction from C. sativa Arbel strain (FCBD) substantially reduced dose dependently interleukin (IL) 6 and 8 levels in an alveolar epithelial (A549) cell line. FCBD contained cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and multiple terpenes. Treatments with FCBD and phytocannabinoid standards that compose FCBD (FCBD:std) reduced IL-6, IL-8, C-C Motif Chemokine Ligands (CCLs) 2 and 7, and angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression in the A549 cell line. Treatment with FCBD induced macrophages (differentiated KG1 cell line) polarization and phagocytosis in vitro, and increased CD36 and type II receptor for the Fc region of IgG (FcγRII) expression. FCBD treatment also substantially increased IL-6 and IL-8 expression in macrophages. FCBD:std, while maintaining the anti-inflammatory activity in alveolar epithelial cells, led to reduced phagocytosis and pro-inflammatory IL secretion in macrophages in comparison to FCBD. The phytocannabinoid mixture may show superior activity versus cannabis fraction for reduction of lung inflammation, yet there is a need of caution in proposing cannabis as treatment for COVID-19.
Databáze: OpenAIRE