Cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonist genistein attenuates marijuana-induced vascular inflammation

Disease areas:

• heart and blood vessels

Last updated:

19 November 2025

Author(s):

Tzu-Tang Wei, Mark Chandy, Masataka Nishiga, Angela Zhang, Kaavya Krishna Kumar, Dilip Thomas, Amit Manhas, Siyeon Rhee, Johanne Marie Justesen, Ian Y Chen, Hung-Ta Wo, Saereh Khanamiri, Johnson Y Yang, Frederick J Seidl, Noah Z Burns, Chun Liu, Nazish Sayed, Jiun-Jie Shie, Chih-Fan Yeh, Kai-Chien Yang, Edward Lau, Kara L Lynch, Manuel Rivas, Brian K Kobilka, Joseph C Wu

Publish date:

29 April 2022

Journal:

Cell

PubMed ID:

35489334

DOI:

10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.005

Abstract

Epidemiological studies reveal that marijuana increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, little is known about the mechanism. Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana, binds to cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1/CNR1) in the vasculature and is implicated in CVD. A UK Biobank analysis found that cannabis was an risk factor for CVD. We found that marijuana smoking activated inflammatory cytokines implicated in CVD. In silico virtual screening identified genistein, a soybean isoflavone, as a putative CB1 antagonist. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells were used to model Δ⁹-THC-induced inflammation and oxidative stress via NF-κB signaling. Knockdown of the CB1 receptor with siRNA, CRISPR interference, and genistein attenuated the effects of Δ⁹-THC. In mice, genistein blocked Δ⁹-THC-induced endothelial dysfunction in wire myograph, reduced atherosclerotic plaque, and had minimal penetration of the central nervous system. Genistein is a CB1 antagonist that attenuates Δ⁹-THC-induced atherosclerosis.