The Endocannabinoid Tone Regulates Human Sebocyte Biology

The study from 2016 explored the impact of the endocannabinoid system on human sebocyte function, specifically focusing on lipid production in sebaceous glands. Researchers found that key enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids, as well as the endocannabinoid membrane transporter (EMT), are active in SZ95 sebocytes and sebaceous glands. They discovered that inhibiting the EMT with VDM11 led to a slight increase in lipid production without harming cell viability. However, when VDM11 was combined with anandamide (AEA), it reduced AEA's lipid-enhancing effects due to increased cytotoxicity. Additionally, VDM11 was shown to counteract the inflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide. These results indicate that enhancing the endocannabinoid tone may have anti-inflammatory benefits and could help increase lipid production in the skin, which may be advantageous for treating dry skin conditions linked to inflammation.