Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Mail Code L458, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA.
Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 9;14(1):5808. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-56386-7.
Prenatal cannabis use is associated with adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes, however the underlying mechanisms are relatively unknown. We sought to determine the impact of chronic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure on fetal neurodevelopment in a rhesus macaque model using advanced imaging combined with molecular and tissue studies. Animals were divided into two groups, control (n = 5) and THC-exposed (n = 5), which received a daily THC edible pre-conception and throughout pregnancy. Fetal T2-weighted MRI was performed at gestational days 85 (G85), G110, G135 and G155 to assess volumetric brain development. At G155, animals underwent cesarean delivery with collection of fetal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for microRNA (miRNA) studies and fetal tissue for histologic analysis. THC exposure was associated with significant age by sex interactions in brain growth, and differences in fetal brain histology suggestive of brain dysregulation. Two extracellular vesicle associated-miRNAs were identified in THC-exposed fetal CSF; pathway analysis suggests that these miRNAs are associated with dysregulated axonal guidance and netrin signaling. This data is indicative of subtle molecular changes consistent with the observed histological data, suggesting a potential role for fetal miRNA regulation by THC. Further studies are needed to determine whether these adverse findings correlate with long-term offspring neurodevelopmental health.
产前大麻使用与后代神经发育不良后果有关,但潜在机制尚不清楚。我们试图通过使用先进的成像技术结合分子和组织研究,在恒河猴模型中确定慢性 δ-9-四氢大麻酚(THC)暴露对胎儿神经发育的影响。动物分为两组,对照组(n=5)和 THC 暴露组(n=5),它们在受孕前和整个怀孕期间每天接受 THC 可食用物。在妊娠第 85 天(G85)、G110、G135 和 G155 进行胎儿 T2 加权 MRI 以评估脑容积发育。在 G155 时,动物接受剖宫产,收集胎儿脑脊液(CSF)进行 microRNA(miRNA)研究和胎儿组织进行组织学分析。THC 暴露与大脑生长的显著性别年龄相互作用有关,并且胎儿脑组织的差异表明存在大脑调节异常。在 THC 暴露的胎儿 CSF 中鉴定出两种细胞外囊泡相关 miRNA;通路分析表明,这些 miRNA 与失调的轴突导向和 netrin 信号有关。这些数据表明存在与观察到的组织学数据一致的微妙分子变化,表明 THC 对胎儿 miRNA 调节的潜在作用。需要进一步研究来确定这些不良发现是否与后代神经发育健康的长期状况相关。