Cannabinoid 1 receptor in fatty liver

Abstract

The role of cannabinoids in fatty liver disease has been increasingly acknowledged in recent years, and it has been suggested that drugs targeting peripheral cannabinoid receptors could have therapeutic use. Development of such drugs would require a good understanding of the mechanisms of fat accumulation caused by cannabinoid receptor activation. This review describes in detail the enzymatic steps that lead from the stimulation of cannabinoid 1 receptor to steatosis. It identifies several signaling pathways that activate sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), the key transcription factor causing fatty liver. The downstream effects of SREBP-1c leading to increased fatty acid synthesis and decreased fatty acid oxidation are also described. © 2012 The Japan Society of Hepatology.