High-CBD cannabis extracts inhibit the expression of proinflammatory factors via miRNA-mediated silencing in human small intestinal epithelial cells

The incidence of chronic inflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases is rapidly growing. To date, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has killed over 6,209,000 people globally, while no drug has been proven effective for the disease. Screening natural anti-inflammatory compounds for clinical application has drawn much attention. In this study, we showed that high-CBD cannabis extracts #1, #5, #7, #169, and #317 suppressed the levels of expression of proinflammatory cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in human small intestinal epithelial cells (HSIEC) in TNFα/IFNγ-triggered inflammation. We revealed that these extracts, with the exception of extract #169, also profoundly attenuated induction of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and/or IL-8 proteins through miR-760- and miR-302c-3p-mediated silencing. The prevalent components in extracts #1 and #7 influenced the levels of IL-8 both individually as well as in combination with each other. However, the high-dose cannabis extracts displayed an inhibitory effect in the growth of HSIEC cells. These results show that our high-CBD cannabis extracts decrease the levels of proinflammatory molecules COX2, IL-6, and IL-8 via transcriptional suppression or miRNA-mediated silencing, highlighting their potential against COVID-19-associated cytokine storm syndrome.