Cannabinoid Receptors: Pharmacological Opportunities for Obesity and Inflammation
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Presented By
Presented by the Biochemical Pharmacology Discussion Group and the American Chemical Society‘s New York Section
Organizers: Jeanne Magram, Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals; and Shawn Black, Pfizer
Speakers: Roger Pertwee, University of Aberdeen; Tamas Horvath, Yale University School of Medicine; Guy Cabral, Virginia Commonwealth University; and Charles Lunn, Schering-Plough Research Institute
The cannabinoid (CB) receptor class of GPCRs consists of two members, CB1 and CB2. In addition to the endogenous ligands for these receptors, CB1 is the primary receptor for THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana.
As marijuana is also known to increase appetite, these receptors have been studied for their effects on feeding behavior and more recently as attractive drug targets for the treatment of obesity. CB2 receptors are more important in the periphery, especially in cells involved in immune responses.
Thus, agonists of the CB2 receptor have been studied as potential anti-inflammatory therapies. The physiologic role of these receptors and their endogenous ligands are not yet completely elucidated but are rich in information relevant for proposed novel therapies.
Program
1:00–1:10
Introductory Remarks
Jeanne Magram, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals
1:10–2:00
Roger Pertwee, University of Aberdeen, UK, "Introduction to Cannabinoid Receptors and Their Role in MS and Pain."
2:00–2:50
Tamas Horvath, Yale University School of Medicine, "Cannabinoids and the Hypothalamic Blueprint of Metabolism Regulation."
2:50–3:10
Break
3:10–4:00
Guy Cabral, Virginia Commonwealth University, "Cannabinoids and Modulation of Macrophage Functional Activities."
4:00–4:50
Charles Lunn, Schering-Plough Research Institute, "Immune Modulation by Cannabinoids: Targeting the Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor."
4:50
Concluding Remarks
Shawn Black, Pfizer