Prenatal exposure to the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 alters migration of early-born glutamatergic neurons and GABAergic interneurons in the rat cerebral cortex.

SAEZ T; ARONNE MP; CALTANA L; BRUSCO HA

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2014 vol. 129 p. 637 - 648

0022-3042

The endocannabinoid system, composed by the cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and synthesis and degradation enzymes, is present since early stages of brain development. During this period, the endocannabinoids system is involved in the regulation of neural progenitor?s proliferation and their specification, as well as in migration and differentiation of pyramidal neurons and interneurons. Marijuana consumption during pregnancy represents a serious risk for the proper development of the fetus´s brain since C9-tetrahidrocannabinol (THC), main active compound of cannabis, can reach the fetus through placenta and hemato-encephalic barrier. Cohort studies performed on children and adolescents of mothers who consumed marijuana during pregnancy, reported cognitive and comportamental abnormalities. In the present study, we studied the expression of the cannabinoid receptor CB1R during corticogenesis in radially and tangentially migrating postmitotic neurons. We found that prenatal exposure to WIN impaired tangential and radial migration of postmitotic neurons in the dorsal pallium. In addition, we described alterations of two transcription factors associated with proliferating and newly postmitotic glutamatergic cells in the dorsal pallium, Tbr1 and Tbr2, and disruption on the number of Cajal-Retzius cells. The present results contribute to the knowledge on neurobiologicalsubstrates that determine neuro-comportamental changes that will persist through post-natal life.