Publications by authors named "Bitya Raphael-Mizrahi"
Five million non-melanoma skin cancers occur globally each year, and it is one of the most common malignant cancers. The dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system, particularly cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), is implicated in skin cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Comparing wildtype (WT) to systemic CB2 knockout (CB2) mice, we performed a spontaneous cancer study in one-year old mice, and subsequently used the multi-stage chemical carcinogenesis model, wherein cancer is initiated by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and promoted by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA).
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- The endocannabinoid system, specifically CB2, plays a complex role in colon cancer, with evidence suggesting it may influence immune responses.
- In experiments with mice, those lacking CB2 exhibited a higher occurrence of precancerous lesions and increased tumor development, alongside changes in immune cell populations.
- Analysis of human genomic data indicates a link between specific variants and colon cancer incidence, highlighting the potential for CB2 as a target for cancer prognosis and treatment.
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a pleiotropic cytokine that classically drives erythropoiesis but can also induce bone loss by decreasing bone formation and increasing resorption. Deletion of the EPO receptor (EPOR) on osteoblasts or B cells partially mitigates the skeletal effects of EPO, thereby implicating a contribution by EPOR on other cell lineages. This study was designed to define the role of monocyte EPOR in EPO-mediated bone loss, by using two mouse lines with conditional deletion of EPOR in the monocytic lineage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe endocannabinoid system consists mainly of 2-arachidonoylglycerol and anandamide, as well as cannabinoid receptor type 1 and type 2 (CB2). Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that a circulating peptide previously identified as osteogenic growth peptide (OGP) maintains a bone-protective CB2 tone. We tested OGP activity in mouse models and cells, and in human osteoblasts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: Here, we overview the latest findings from studies investigating the skeletal endocannabinoid (EC) system and its involvement in bone formation and resorption.
Recent Findings: The endocannabinoid system consists of endogenous ligands, receptors, and enzymes. The main cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant are Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).