Costentin J
Académie nationale de médecine, 16, rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France.
Bull Acad Natl Med. 2020 Jun;204(6):570-576. doi: 10.1016/j.banm.2020.04.004. Epub 2020 Apr 15.
The almost pandemic spread of cannabis among adolescents and young adults, especially in France, justifies the attention given to the consequences, not only acute but also delayed, of this intoxication. In the latter case, epigenetic mechanisms occur. We will first recall various types of epigenetic modifications involving either chromatin histones, mainly methylations or acetylations, either DNA, by methylation of cytosines. Such modifications caused by the tetrahydrocannabinol/THC of cannabis can intervene: either at the level of gametes before procreation, or at different points of the life cycle. These epigenetic modifications are associated with an increase in vulnerability to drug addiction, involving dopamine D receptors in the nucleus accumbens, overexpression of enkephalin precursor synthesis, modifications of: CB receptors of endocannabinoids, glutamic acid receptors, GABA receptors, proteins involved in synaptic plasticity… These changes can also affect: immune system, cognitive activities, development of psychiatric diseases, related to disturbances of brain maturation. The knowledge that accumulates in this respect is the opposite of the ambient trivialization of this drug. They impose sending an alert to the public authorities and to the public, especially young people, warning on the risks associated with this drug use and abuse.
大麻在青少年和年轻人中的近乎流行的传播，尤其是在法国，使得人们有理由关注这种中毒的后果，不仅是急性后果，还有延迟后果。在后一种情况下，会出现表观遗传机制。我们首先回顾一下各种类型的表观遗传修饰，这些修饰涉及染色质组蛋白，主要是甲基化或乙酰化，或者涉及DNA，即胞嘧啶的甲基化。大麻中的四氢大麻酚/THC引起的此类修饰可以在以下方面发挥作用：要么在生殖前的配子水平，要么在生命周期的不同阶段。这些表观遗传修饰与对药物成瘾的易感性增加有关，涉及伏隔核中的多巴胺D受体、脑啡肽前体合成的过度表达、内源性大麻素的CB受体、谷氨酸受体、GABA受体、参与突触可塑性的蛋白质的修饰……这些变化还会影响：免疫系统、认知活动、与大脑成熟障碍相关的精神疾病的发展。在这方面积累的知识与这种毒品在周围环境中的被轻视形成了鲜明对比。这些知识促使向公共当局和公众，尤其是年轻人发出警报，警告与这种毒品使用和滥用相关的风险。
