Association of mRNA Levels of CB1R and/CB2R Genes in Leukocytes with Different Types of Cancer

Abstract

ECS can modulate several signaling pathways causing anti proliferative effects, whereas its activation can accelerate the progression of tumor. CB1 and CB2 receptors are members of ECS. Accumulated evidence elucidates that CB receptors have the ability to regulate several signaling pathways that they are critical to survive and growth cell. The main idea of this project is to evaluate the expression level of CB genes including (CB1 and CB2) in different types of patients with cancer. As well as to answer weather there is any association between mRNA levels of these receptors. The peripheral blood samples were collected from patients of different type of cancers and samples of control were studied. The level expression was measured using Real-time polymerase chain reaction. All types of cancer were expressed CB receptors compared with control group. CB1 and CB2 genes significantly expressed within prostate and cervical cancers. In contrast, they expressed with low level in lymphoma cancer. These findings suggest a possible function of CB genes in cancer disease. The expression levels of CB1and CB2 genes are not very well correlated. However, current study represents the first one in Iraqi cancer patients. Thus, further studies are required to study these genes functions and their roles in cancer progression.