The cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2R) represents a promising therapeutic target for various forms of tissue injury and inflammatory diseases. Although numerous compounds have been developed and widely used to target CB2R, their selectivity, molecular mode of action and pharmacokinetic properties have been poorly characterized. Here we report the most extensive characterization of the molecular pharmacology of the most widely used CB2R ligands to date. In a collaborative effort between multiple academic and industry laboratories, we identify marked differences in the ability of certain agonists to activate distinct signalling pathways and to cause off-target effects. We reach a consensus that HU910, HU308 and JWH133 are the recommended selective CB2R agonists to study the role of CB2R in biological and disease processes. We believe that our unique approach would be highly suitable for the characterization of other therapeutic targets in drug discovery research.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
51
12%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
44
11%
Chemistry
34
8%
Neuroscience
25
6%
Other
63
15%
Unknown
129
31%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 91. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 14 April 2026.
All research outputs
#583,166
of 33,825,399 outputs
Outputs from Nature Communications
#9,483
of 81,565 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#9,486
of 462,405 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Nature Communications
#179
of 915 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 33,825,399 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 98th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 81,565 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 49.3. This one has done well, scoring higher than 88% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 462,405 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 915 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 80% of its contemporaries.
