Effects of (-)-cannabidiol on human sebocytes

In the current study, we aimed at exploring the effects of the major non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid of Cannabis sativa, (-)-cannabidiol (CBD), on human sebaceous gland functions. We found that CBD behaved as a highly effective anti-acne agent, targeting all the three key, sebocyte-specific steps of the pathogenesis (i.e. without compromising viability or basal sebaceous lipid production, CBD normalized pro-acne agents-induced excessive lipid synthesis, reduced proliferation and exerted anti-inflammatory actions). The goal of the present microarray analyses was to identify signaling pathways and target genes being involved in mediating the above beneficial effects of CBD. Microarray analyses were performed by using three independent sets of control (vehicle-treated) and CBD-treated (10 μM, 24-hr) human, immortalized SZ95 sebocytes. The first two sets of the samples were analyzed by two-color microarrays (“rep1” and “rep2”). Later on, the RNA from the second sample set was used for the “rep2-1” hybridization (techical repeat). Finally, we analyzed the third (biological) sample set by using one-color microarray (“rep3”).