Abstract Cannabis is the most widely used recreational drug in the world. Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica have been selectively bred to develop their psychoactive properties. The increasing use in many countries has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cannabis can provoke both type 1 and type 4 allergic reactions. Officially recognized allergens include a pathogenesis-related class 10 allergen, profilin, and a nonspecific lipid transfer protein. Other allergens may also be relevant, and recognition of allergens may vary between countries and continents. Cannabis also has the potential to provoke allergic cross-reactions to plant foods. Since cannabis is an illegal substance in many countries, research has been hampered, leading...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Purpose of the review: With increased access and decriminalization of cannabis use, cases of IgE-dependent cannabis allergy (CA) and cross-reactivity syndromes have been increasingly reported. However, the exact prevalence of cannabis allergy and associated cross-reactive food syndromes (CAFS) remains unknown and is likely to be underestimated due to a lack of awareness and insufficient knowledge of the subject among health care professionals. Therefore, this practical roadmap aims to familiarize the reader with the early recognition and correct management of IgE-dependent cannabis-related allergies. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying these cross-reactivity syndromes and to enable personalized...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Cannabis allergy (CA) has mainly been attributed to Can s 3, the nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP) of Cannabis sativa. Nevertheless, standardized diagnostic tests are lacking and research on CA is scarce. Objective To explore the performance of 5 cannabis diagnostic tests and the phenotypic profile of CA. Methods A total of 120 patients with CA were included and stratified according to the nature of their cannabis-related symptoms; 62 healthy and 189 atopic controls were included. Specific IgE (sIgE) hemp, sIgE and basophil activation test (BAT) with a recombinant Can s 3 protein from Cannabis sativa (rCan s 3), BAT with a...

Abstract Asthma is characterized by chronic lung inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. Asthma remains a major public health problem and, at present, there are no effective interventions capable of reversing airway remodelling. Cannabidiol (CBD) is known to exert immunomodulatory effects through the activation of cannabinoid-1 and − 2 (CB1 and CB2) receptors located in the central nervous system and immune cells, respectively. However, as the role of CBD on airway remodelling and the mechanisms of CB1 and CB2 aren’t fully elucidated, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of cannabidiol in this scenario. Allergic asthma was induced in Balb/c mice exposed to ovalbumin, and respiratory mechanics, collagen fibre content in airway and alveolar septa, cytokine levels, and CB1 and CB2 expression were determined. Moreover, expressions of...

Abstract Background: Because many chronic inflammatory and allergic disorders are intimately linked to excessive mast cell (MC) numbers and activation, it is clinically important to understand the physiologic mechanisms preventing excess MC accumulation/degranulation in normal human tissues. Objective: Because endocannabinoids are increasingly recognized as neuroendocrine regulators of MC biology, we investigated how cannabinoid receptor (CB) 1 signaling affects human mucosal-type mast cells (hMMCs). Methods: Using organ-cultured nasal polyps as a surrogate tissue for human bronchial mucosa, we investigated how CB1 stimulation, inhibition, or knockdown affects hMMC biology using quantitative (immuno)histomorphometry and electron microscopy. Results: Kit(+) hMMCs express functional CB1 in situ. Blockade of CB1 signaling (with the specific...