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Johnson AL, Verbitsky R, Hudson J, Dean R, Hamilton TJ. Cannabinoid type-2 receptors modulate terpene induced anxiety-reduction in zebrafish. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115760. [PMID: 37865998 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Terpenes are the most extensive and varied group of naturally occurring compounds mostly found in plants, including cannabis, and have an array of potential therapeutic benefits for pathological conditions. The endocannabinoid system can potently modulate anxiety in humans, rodents, and zebrafish. The 'entourage effect' suggests terpenes may target cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, among others, but this requires further investigation. In this study we first tested for anxiety-altering effects of the predominant 'Super-Class' terpenes, bisabolol (0.001%, 0.0015%, and 0.002%) and terpinolene (TPL; 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1%), in zebrafish with the open field test. Bisabolol did not have an effect on zebrafish behaviour or locomotion. However, TPL caused a significant increase in time spent in the inner zone and decrease in time spent in the outer zone of the arena indicating an anxiolytic (anxiety decreasing) effect. Next, we assessed whether CB1 and CB2 receptor antagonists, rimonabant and AM630 (6-Iodopravadoline) respectively, could eliminate or reduce the anxiolytic effects of TPL (0.1%) and β-caryophyllene (BCP; 4%), another super-class terpene previously shown to be anxiolytic in zebrafish. Rimonabant and AM630 were administered prior to terpene exposure and compared to controls and fish exposed to only the terpenes. AM630, but not rimonabant, eliminated the anxiolytic effects of both BCP and TPL. AM630 modulated locomotion on its own, which was potentiated by terpenes. These findings suggest the behavioural effects of TPL and BCP on zebrafish anxiety-like behaviour are mediated by a selective preference for CB2 receptor sites. Furthermore, the CB2 pathways mediating the anxiolytic response are likely different from those altering locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréa L Johnson
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University 6-329 City Centre Campus, 10700 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4S2, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryan Verbitsky
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University 6-329 City Centre Campus, 10700 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - James Hudson
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University 6-329 City Centre Campus, 10700 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Rachel Dean
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University 6-329 City Centre Campus, 10700 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Trevor J Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University 6-329 City Centre Campus, 10700 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4S2, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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Lachowicz J, Szopa A, Ignatiuk K, Świąder K, Serefko A. Zebrafish as an Animal Model in Cannabinoid Research. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10455. [PMID: 37445631 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids are active substances present in plants of the Cannabis genus. Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have approved several medicinal products containing natural cannabinoids or their synthetic derivatives for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, anorexia in AIDS patients, and the alleviation of symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. In fact, cannabinoids constitute a broad group of molecules with a possible therapeutic potential that could be used in the management of much more diseases than mentioned above; therefore, multiple preclinical and clinical studies on cannabinoids have been carried out in recent years. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is an animal model that has gained more attention lately due to its numerous advantages, including easy and fast reproduction, the significant similarity of the zebrafish genome to the human one, simplicity of genetic modifications, and body transparency during the early stages of development. A number of studies have confirmed the usefulness of this model in toxicological research, experiments related to the impact of early life exposure to xenobiotics, modeling various diseases, and screening tests to detect active substances with promising biological activity. The present paper focuses on the current knowledge of the endocannabinoid system in the zebrafish model, and it summarizes the results and observations from studies investigating the pharmacological effects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids that were carried out in Danio rerio. The presented data support the notion that the zebrafish model is a suitable animal model for use in cannabinoid research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Lachowicz
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Szopa
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Ignatiuk
- Scientific Circle, Department of Clincal Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Świąder
- Chair and Department of Applied and Social Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Serefko
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
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Vassall M, Chakraborty S, Feng Y, Faheem M, Wang X, Bhandari RK. Transcriptional Alterations Induced by Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Brain and Gonads of Adult Medaka. J Xenobiot 2023; 13:237-251. [PMID: 37367494 DOI: 10.3390/jox13020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
With the legalization of marijuana smoking in several states of the United States and many other countries for medicinal and recreational use, the possibility of its release into the environment cannot be overruled. Currently, the environmental levels of marijuana metabolites are not monitored on a regular basis, and their stability in the environment is not well understood. Laboratory studies have linked delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) exposure with behavioral abnormalities in some fish species; however, their effects on endocrine organs are less understood. To understand the effects of THC on the brain and gonads, we exposed adult medaka (Oryzias latipes, Hd-rR strain, both male and female) to 50 ug/L THC for 21 days spanning their complete spermatogenic and oogenic cycles. We examined transcriptional responses of the brain and gonads (testis and ovary) to Δ9-THC, particularly molecular pathways associated with behavioral and reproductive functions. The Δ9-THC effects were more profound in males than females. The Δ9-THC-induced differential expression pattern of genes in the brain of the male fish suggested pathways to neurodegenerative diseases and pathways to reproductive impairment in the testis. The present results provide insights into endocrine disruption in aquatic organisms due to environmental cannabinoid compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlee Vassall
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Sourav Chakraborty
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Yashi Feng
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Mehwish Faheem
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Xuegeng Wang
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
- Institute of Modern Aquaculture Science and Engineering, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
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Lu C, Feng Y, Li H, Gao Z, Zhu X, Hu J. A preclinical study of deep brain stimulation in the ventral tegmental area for alleviating positive psychotic-like behaviors in mice. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:945912. [PMID: 36034113 PMCID: PMC9399924 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.945912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a clinical intervention for the treatment of movement disorders. It has also been applied to the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anorexia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. Psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression can lead to psychosis, which can cause patients to lose touch with reality. The ventral tegmental area (VTA), located near the midline of the midbrain, is an important region involved in psychosis. However, the clinical application of electrical stimulation of the VTA to treat psychotic diseases has been limited, and related mechanisms have not been thoroughly studied. In the present study, hyperlocomotion and stereotyped behaviors of the mice were employed to mimic and evaluate the positive-psychotic-like behaviors. We attempted to treat positive psychotic-like behaviors by electrically stimulating the VTA in mice and exploring the neural mechanisms behind behavioral effects. Local field potential recording and in vivo fiber photometry to observe the behavioral effects and changes in neural activities caused by DBS in the VTA of mice. Optogenetic techniques were used to verify the neural mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects induced by DBS. Our results showed that electrical stimulation of the VTA activates local gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons, and dopamine (DA) neurons, reduces hyperlocomotion, and relieves stereotyped behaviors induced by MK-801 (dizocilpine) injection. The results of optogenetic manipulation showed that the activation of the VTA GABA neurons, but not DA neurons, is involved in the alleviation of hyperlocomotion and stereotyped behaviors. We visualized changes in the activity of specific types in specific brain areas induced by DBS, and explored the neural mechanism of DBS in alleviating positive psychotic-like behaviors. This preclinical study not only proposes new technical means of exploring the mechanism of DBS, but also provides experimental justification for the clinical treatment of psychotic diseases by electrical stimulation of the VTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Feng
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongxia Li
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zilong Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaona Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Ji Hu Xiaona Zhu
| | - Ji Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Ji Hu Xiaona Zhu
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Licitra R, Marchese M, Naef V, Ogi A, Martinelli M, Kiferle C, Fronte B, Santorelli FM. A Review on the Bioactivity of Cannabinoids on Zebrafish Models: Emphasis on Neurodevelopment. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081820. [PMID: 36009367 PMCID: PMC9404760 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
For centuries, the cannabis plant has been used as a source of food, fiber, and medicine. Recently, scientific interest in cannabis has increased considerably, as its bioactive compounds have shown promising potential in the treatment of numerous musculoskeletal and neurological diseases in humans. However, the mechanisms that underlie its possible effects on neurodevelopment and nervous-system functioning remain poorly understood and need to be further investigated. Although the bulk of research on cannabis and cannabinoids is based on in vitro or rodent models, the zebrafish has now emerged as a powerful in vivo model for drug-screening studies and translational research. We here review the available literature on the use of cannabis/cannabinoids in zebrafish, and particularly in zebrafish models of neurological disorders. A critical analysis suggests that zebrafish could serve as an experimental tool for testing the bioactivity of cannabinoids, and they could thus provide important insights into the safety and efficacy of different cannabis-extract-based products. The review showed that zebrafish exhibit similar behaviors to rodents following cannabinoid exposure. The authors stress the importance of analyzing the full spectrum of naturally occurring cannabinoids, rather than just the main ones, THC and CBD, and they offer some pointers on performing behavioral analysis in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Licitra
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.L.); (V.N.); (A.O.)
| | - Maria Marchese
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.L.); (V.N.); (A.O.)
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Valentina Naef
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.L.); (V.N.); (A.O.)
| | - Asahi Ogi
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.L.); (V.N.); (A.O.)
| | - Marco Martinelli
- PlantLab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.M.); (C.K.)
| | - Claudia Kiferle
- PlantLab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.M.); (C.K.)
| | - Baldassare Fronte
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Filippo Maria Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.L.); (V.N.); (A.O.)
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (F.M.S.)
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