Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41516397›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Cannabinoid Signaling and Autophagy in Oral Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications.

Undral Munkhsaikhan, Md Ataur Rahman, Alivia Shasteen, Karima Ait-Aissa, Amal M Sahyoun, Rajat Das Gupta, Modar Kassan, Ehsanul Hoque Apu, Ammaar H Abidi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Undral MunkhsaikhanCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7241-9172
Md Ataur RahmanDepartment of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6649-3694
Alivia ShasteenCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Karima Ait-AissaCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7133-4767
Amal M SahyounCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Rajat Das GuptaDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7680-676X
Modar KassanCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9728-063X
Ehsanul Hoque ApuCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6840-3787
Ammaar H AbidiCollege of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1826-9377

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Autophagy is a well-preserved biological mechanism that is essential for sustaining homeostasis by degradation and recycling damaged organelles, misfolded proteins, and other cytoplasmic detritus. Cannabinoid signaling has emerged as a prospective regulator of diverse cellular functions, including immunological modulation, oxidative stress response, apoptosis, and autophagy. Dysregulation of autophagy contributes to pathogenesis and treatment resistance of several oral diseases, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), periodontitis, and gingival inflammation. This review delineates the molecular crosstalk between cannabinoid receptor type I (CB1) and type II (CB2) activation and autophagic pathways across oral tissues. Cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), modulate key regulators like mTOR, AMPK, and Beclin-1, thereby influencing autophagic flux, inflammation, and apoptosis. Experimental studies indicate that cannabinoids inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, promote reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced autophagy, and modulate cytokine secretion, mechanisms that underline their dual anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer capabilities. In addition, cannabinoid-induced autophagy has been shown to enhance stem cell survival and differentiation, offering promise for dental pulp regeneration. Despite these promising prospects, several challenges remain, including receptor selectivity, dose-dependent variability, limited oral bioavailability, and ongoing regulatory constraints. A deeper understanding of the context-dependent regulation of autophagy by cannabinoid signaling could pave the way for innovative therapeutic interventions in dentistry. Tailored cannabinoid-based formulations, engineered for receptor specificity, tissue selectivity, and optimized delivery, hold significant potential to revolutionize oral healthcare by modulating autophagy-related molecular pathways involved in disease resolution and tissue regeneration.

Indexed as

AutophagyCannabinoidsMouth DiseasesSignal TransductionAnimalsHumansReceptor, Cannabinoid, CB2Receptors, CannabinoidTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesCannabinoidsReceptor, Cannabinoid, CB2Receptors, CannabinoidTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesautophagycannabinoidsCB1/CB2 receptorsmTOR signalingoral cancerperiodontitis

Identifiers

PMID41516397
PMCPMC12786432

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.