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Stack GM, Snyder SI, Toth JA, Quade MA, Crawford JL, McKay JK, Jackowetz JN, Wang P, Philippe G, Hansen JL, Moore VM, Rose JKC, Smart LB. Cannabinoids function in defense against chewing herbivores in Cannabis sativa L. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad207. [PMID: 38023471 PMCID: PMC10681003 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
In the decades since the first cannabinoids were identified by scientists, research has focused almost exclusively on the function and capacity of cannabinoids as medicines and intoxicants for humans and other vertebrates. Very little is known about the adaptive value of cannabinoid production, though several hypotheses have been proposed including protection from ultraviolet radiation, pathogens, and herbivores. To test the prediction that genotypes with greater concentrations of cannabinoids will have reduced herbivory, a segregating F2 population of Cannabis sativa was leveraged to conduct lab- and field-based bioassays investigating the function of cannabinoids in mediating interactions with chewing herbivores. In the field, foliar cannabinoid concentration was inversely correlated with chewing herbivore damage. On detached leaves, Trichoplusia ni larvae consumed less leaf area and grew less when feeding on leaves with greater concentrations of cannabinoids. Scanning electron and light microscopy were used to characterize variation in glandular trichome morphology. Cannabinoid-free genotypes had trichomes that appeared collapsed. To isolate cannabinoids from confounding factors, artificial insect diet was amended with cannabinoids in a range of physiologically relevant concentrations. Larvae grew less and had lower rates of survival as cannabinoid concentration increased. These results support the hypothesis that cannabinoids function in defense against chewing herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M Stack
- Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY 14456, United States
| | - Stephen I Snyder
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Jacob A Toth
- Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY 14456, United States
| | - Michael A Quade
- Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY 14456, United States
| | - Jamie L Crawford
- Plant Breeding Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - John K McKay
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | | | - Ping Wang
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY 14456, United States
| | - Glenn Philippe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Julie L Hansen
- Plant Breeding Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Virginia M Moore
- Plant Breeding Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Jocelyn K C Rose
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Lawrence B Smart
- Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY 14456, United States
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Candib A, Lee N, Sam N, Cho E, Rojas J, Hastings R, DeAlva K, Khon D, Gonzalez A, Molina B, Torabzadeh G, Vu J, Hasenstab K, Sant K, Phillips JA, Finley K. The Influence of Cannabinoids on Drosophila Behaviors, Longevity, and Traumatic Injury Responses of the Adult Nervous System. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023. [PMID: 37158809 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The legalization of cannabis products has increased their usage in the United States. Among the ∼500 active compounds, this is especially true for cannabidiol (CBD)-based products, which are being used to treat a range of ailments. Research is ongoing regarding the safety, therapeutic potential, and molecular mechanism of cannabinoids. Drosophila (fruit flies) are widely used to model a range of factors that impact neural aging, stress responses, and longevity. Materials and Methods: Adult wild-type Drosophila melanogaster cohorts (w1118/+) were treated with different Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD dosages and examined for neural protective properties using established neural aging and trauma models. The therapeutic potential of each compound was assessed using circadian and locomotor behavioral assays and longevity profiles. Changes to NF-κB pathway activation were assessed by measuring expression levels of downstream targets using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of neural cDNAs. Results: Flies exposed to different CBD or THC dosages showed minimal effects to sleep and circadian-based behaviors or the age-dependent decline in locomotion. The 2-week CBD (3 μM) treatment did significantly enhance longevity. Flies exposed to different CBD and THC dosages were also examined under stress conditions, using the Drosophila mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) model (10×). Pretreatment with either compound did not alter baseline expression of key inflammatory markers (NF-κB targets), but did reduce neural mRNA profiles at a key 4-h time point following mTBI exposure. Locomotor responses were also significantly improved 1 and 2 weeks following mTBI. After mTBI (10×) exposure, the 48-h mortality rate improved for CBD (3 μM)-treated flies, as were global average longevity profiles for other CBD doses tested. While not significant, THC (0.1 μM)-treated flies show a net positive impact on acute mortality and longevity profiles following mTBI (10×) exposure. Conclusions: This study shows that the CBD and THC dosages examined had at most a modest impact on basal neural function, while demonstrating that CBD treatments had significant neural protective properties for flies following exposure to traumatic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Candib
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Nicholas Lee
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Natasha Sam
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Eddie Cho
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jesse Rojas
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Reina Hastings
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Kyle DeAlva
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Diana Khon
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Brandon Molina
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Gina Torabzadeh
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Josephine Vu
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Kyle Hasenstab
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Karylin Sant
- Division of Environmental Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Joy A Phillips
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Kim Finley
- Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Division of Environmental Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
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Levichev A, Faumont S, Berner RZ, Purcell Z, White AM, Chicas-Cruz K, Lockery SR. The conserved endocannabinoid anandamide modulates olfactory sensitivity to induce hedonic feeding in C. elegans. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1625-1639.e4. [PMID: 37084730 PMCID: PMC10175219 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
The ability of cannabis to increase food consumption has been known for centuries. In addition to producing hyperphagia, cannabinoids can amplify existing preferences for calorically dense, palatable food sources, a phenomenon called hedonic amplification of feeding. These effects result from the action of plant-derived cannabinoids that mimic endogenous ligands called endocannabinoids. The high degree of conservation of cannabinoid signaling at the molecular level across the animal kingdom suggests hedonic feeding may also be widely conserved. Here, we show that exposure of Caenorhabditis elegans to anandamide, an endocannabinoid common to nematodes and mammals, shifts both appetitive and consummatory responses toward nutritionally superior food, an effect analogous to hedonic feeding. We find that anandamide's effect on feeding requires the C. elegans cannabinoid receptor NPR-19 but can also be mediated by the human CB1 cannabinoid receptor, indicating functional conservation between the nematode and mammalian endocannabinoid systems for the regulation of food preferences. Furthermore, anandamide has reciprocal effects on appetitive and consummatory responses to food, increasing and decreasing responses to inferior and superior foods, respectively. Anandamide's behavioral effects require the AWC chemosensory neurons, and anandamide renders these neurons more sensitive to superior foods and less sensitive to inferior foods, mirroring the reciprocal effects seen at the behavioral level. Our findings reveal a surprising degree of functional conservation in the effects of endocannabinoids on hedonic feeding across species and establish a new system to investigate the cellular and molecular basis of endocannabinoid system function in the regulation of food choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Levichev
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Serge Faumont
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Rachel Z Berner
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Zhifeng Purcell
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Amanda M White
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Kathy Chicas-Cruz
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Shawn R Lockery
- University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience, 1245 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
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Yakti W, Förster N, Müller M, Mewis I, Ulrichs C. Hemp Waste as a Substrate for Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) and Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Rearing. INSECTS 2023; 14:183. [PMID: 36835752 PMCID: PMC9960234 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The proper treatment of cannabis agricultural wastes can reduce the environmental impact of its cultivation and generate valuable products. This study aimed to test the potential of cannabis agricultural wastes as a substrate for the rearing of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and yellow mealworms (MW). In the case of BSFL, replacing the fibre component (straw) in the substrate with the hemp waste can increase the nutritional value of the substrate and led to bigger larvae. The bigger larvae had lower P and Mg, and higher Fe and Ca. Crude protein also varied based on the size of larvae and/or the content of protein in the initial substrate, which was boosted by replacing straw with hemp material. No other cannabinoids than cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), and cannabidiol (CBD) were found in significant amounts in the larvae. In the case of MW, the larvae grew less on the hemp material in comparison to wheat bran. Replacing wheat bran with the hemp material led to smaller larvae with higher Ca, Fe, K, and crude protein content, but lower Mg and P values. No cannabinoids were detected in the MW fed with the hemp material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Yakti
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)30-2093-46432
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Lopez-Ortiz C, Edwards M, Natarajan P, Pacheco-Valenciana A, Nimmakayala P, Adjeroh DA, Sirbu C, Reddy UK. Peppers in Diet: Genome-Wide Transcriptome and Metabolome Changes in Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179924. [PMID: 36077322 PMCID: PMC9455967 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense) is an increasingly important spice and vegetable crop worldwide because of its high capsaicin content and pungent flavor. Diets supplemented with the phytochemicals found in habanero peppers might cause shifts in an organism’s metabolism and gene expression. Thus, understanding how these interactions occur can reveal the potential health effects associated with such changes. We performed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of Drosophila melanogaster adult flies reared on a habanero pepper diet. We found 539 genes/59 metabolites that were differentially expressed/accumulated in flies fed a pepper versus control diet. Transcriptome results indicated that olfactory sensitivity and behavioral responses to the pepper diet were mediated by olfactory and nutrient-related genes including gustatory receptors (Gr63a, Gr66a, and Gr89a), odorant receptors (Or23a, Or59a, Or82a, and Orco), and odorant-binding proteins (Obp28a, Obp83a, Obp83b, Obp93a, and Obp99a). Metabolome analysis revealed that campesterol, sitosterol, and sucrose were highly upregulated and azelaic acid, ethyl phosphoric acid, and citric acid were the major metabolites downregulated in response to the habanero pepper diet. Further investigation by integration analysis between transcriptome and metabolome data at gene pathway levels revealed six unique enriched pathways, including phenylalanine metabolism; insect hormone biosynthesis; pyrimidine metabolism; glyoxylate, and dicarboxylate metabolism; glycine, serine, threonine metabolism; and glycerolipid metabolism. In view of the transcriptome and metabolome findings, our comprehensive analysis of the response to a pepper diet in Drosophila have implications for exploring the molecular mechanism of pepper consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Lopez-Ortiz
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA
| | - Mary Edwards
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA
| | - Purushothaman Natarajan
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA
| | - Armando Pacheco-Valenciana
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA
| | - Padma Nimmakayala
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA
| | - Donald A. Adjeroh
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Cristian Sirbu
- Charleston Area Medical Center, Institute for Academic Medicine, Charleston, WV 25304, USA
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston Division, Charleston, WV 25304, USA
| | - Umesh K. Reddy
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA
- Correspondence:
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He J, Tuo W, Zhang X, Dai Y, Fang M, Zhou T, Xiu M, Liu Y. Olfactory Senses Modulate Food Consumption and Physiology in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:788633. [PMID: 35431829 PMCID: PMC9011337 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.788633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Both sensory and metabolic processes guide food intake. Olfactory inputs help coordinate food appreciation and selection, but their role in food consumption and post-feeding physiology remains poorly understood. In this study, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, we investigated the effects of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) on food consumption, metabolism, and stress responses. We found that dysfunction of OSNs affects diverse processes, including decreased food consumption, increased triacylglycerol level, enhanced stress resistance to starvation or desiccation, and decreased cold resistance. Decreased neuropeptide F receptor (NPFR) level or increased insulin activity in OSNs inhibited food consumption, while impaired NPF signaling or insulin signaling in OSNs increased resistance to starvation and desiccation. These studies provide insights into the function of the olfactory system in control of feeding behaviors and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzheng He
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Transfer of Dunhuang Medicine at the Provincial and Ministerial Level, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenjuan Tuo
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xueyan Zhang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuting Dai
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ming Fang
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Minghui Xiu
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Transfer of Dunhuang Medicine at the Provincial and Ministerial Level, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Minghui Xiu,
| | - Yongqi Liu
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Transfer of Dunhuang Medicine at the Provincial and Ministerial Level, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- Yongqi Liu,
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Aguilera Vasquez N, Nielsen DE. The Endocannabinoid System and Eating Behaviours: a Review of the Current State of the Evidence. Curr Nutr Rep 2022; 11:665-674. [PMID: 35980538 PMCID: PMC9750929 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-022-00436-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW The endocannabinoid system (ENS) has emerged as an important factor in food intake and may have implications for nutrition research. The objective of the current report is to summarise the available evidence on the ENS and eating behaviour from both animal and human studies. RECENT FINDINGS The literature reviewed demonstrates a clear link between the ENS and eating behaviours. Overall, studies indicate that 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) via cannabinoid receptor-1 (CNR1) binding may stimulate hunger and food intake while oleylethanolamide (OEA) may inhibit hunger. Mechanisms of these associations are not yet well understood, although the evidence suggests that there may be interactions with other physiological systems to consider. Most studies have been conducted in animal models, with few human studies available. Additional research is warranted among human populations into the ENS and eating behaviour. Evaluation of relationships between variation in ENS genes and dietary outcomes is an important area for investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaly Aguilera Vasquez
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9 Canada
| | - Daiva E. Nielsen
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9 Canada
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Gutierrez A, Creehan KM, Turner ML, Tran RN, Kerr TM, Nguyen JD, Taffe MA. Vapor exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) slows locomotion of the Maine lobster (Homarus americanus). Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 207:173222. [PMID: 34197845 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Despite a long history of use in synaptic physiology, the lobster has been a neglected model for behavioral pharmacology. A restaurateur proposed that exposing lobster to cannabis smoke reduces anxiety and pain during the cooking process. It is unknown if lobster gill respiration in air would result in significant Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) uptake and whether this would have any detectable behavioral effects. OBJECTIVE The primary goal was to determine tissue THC levels in the lobster after exposure to THC vapor. Secondary goals were to determine if THC vapor altered locomotor behavior or nociception. METHODS Tissue samples were collected (including muscle, brain and hemolymph) from Homarus americanus (N = 3 per group) following 30 or 60 min of exposure to vapor generated by an e-cigarette device using THC (100 mg/mL in a propylene glycol vehicle). Separate experiments assessed locomotor behavior and hot water nociceptive responses following THC vapor exposure. RESULTS THC vapor produced duration-related THC levels in all tissues examined. Locomotor activity was decreased (distance, speed, time-mobile) by 30 min inhalation of THC. Lobsters exhibit a temperature-dependent withdrawal response to immersion of tail, antennae or claws in warm water; this is novel evidence of thermal nociception for this species. THC exposure for 60 min had only marginal effect on nociception under the conditions assessed. CONCLUSIONS Vapor exposure of lobsters, using an e-cigarette based model, produces dose-dependent THC levels in all tissues and reduces locomotor activity. Hot water nociception was temperature dependent, but only minimal anti-nociceptive effect of THC exposure was confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnold Gutierrez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin M Creehan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mitchell L Turner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
| | - Rachelle N Tran
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tony M Kerr
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jacques D Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael A Taffe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, USA.
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