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Full-Text Articles in Cardiovascular Diseases
Role Of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 (Cb2) In Late Stage Atherosclerosis, Makenzie Fulmer
Role Of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 (Cb2) In Late Stage Atherosclerosis, Makenzie Fulmer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of medium and large vessels. Immune signaling and dyslipidemia are two of several processes which influence lesion development in atherosclerosis. Cannabinoids, such as those found in marijuana, exert their effects through two cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. Recent studies using CB2 knockout mice and CB2-selective ligands have shed light on a protective role of CB2 in early stages of atherosclerosis. However, the role of CB2 in advanced stages of atherosclerosis remains unclear. To determine if CB2 plays a role in advanced atherosclerotic lesion composition and progression, we investigated the effects of systemic CB2 gene …
Effect Of Cannabinoids On Osteogenic Differentiation Of Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Bree A. Eccles
Effect Of Cannabinoids On Osteogenic Differentiation Of Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Bree A. Eccles
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Vascular calcification is strongly correlated with the clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. The calcification process resembles bone formation and involves the osteogenic trans-differentiation of smooth muscles cells within the arterial wall. Cannabinoid receptors are known to modulate bone formation and are present in atherosclerotic vessels, suggesting they may also play a role in modulating calcification. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of cannabinoids on the expression of osteogenic proteins by vascular smooth muscle cells undergoing calcification.