Cannabinoid rescue of striatal neurogenesis in chronic encephalitis in rats

• Published in: Journal of neurovirology 2007-01, Vol.13, p.125-125
• Main Authors: Solbrig, M V, Chang, D Y, Hermanowicz, N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Borna disease virus
• ISSN: 1355-0284

Although neurotropic viruses and inflammatory diseases target neural progenitor cells, neurogenesis can be induced in the adult brain by various pharmacological treatments. Cannabinoids confer neuroprotection, promote cell survival in various experimental paradigms, and increase neurogenesis in hippocampus in rat models of neural injury. Borna Disease virus (BDV) infection reduces neurogenesis in hippocampus of adult rats (Solbrig et al. Brain 2006), reduces numbers of BrdU labeled cells in sub-ventricular zone (SVZ) of striatum and causes disorderly migrations of newly generated SVZ cells to prefrontal cortex (Solbrig unpublished). The hypothesis that cannabinoids rescue SVZ neurogenesis during encephalitis was tested by examining the ability of cannabinoid treatments to increase number and survival of newly generated cells in the striatal complex of adult rats with BDV, using pharmacologic probes, immunohistochemistry and cell counting techniques. After BrdU labeling of mitotic cells in S phase followed by cannabinoid treatment of rats (Win-55, 212-2 1mg/kg ip twice daily x 1 week), there are significant increases in survival of newly generated cells in SVZ dorsal striatum in cannabinoid-treated BDV rats compared to BDV-infected vehicle-treated rats. Both BD groups have fewer BrdU positive cells than age-matched uninfected control rats. There were no apparent cannabinoid effects on cell birth in infected rats, as BDV rats pretreated x 1 week with cannabinoid or vehicle prior to BrdU administration showed no differences in SVZ cell labeling the day after BrdU injection. Therefore, cannabinoids have the potential to improve striatal motor and procedural learning functions compromised by viral injury, not only as modulators of neurotransmission in motor and behavior circuits, but also by neuroprotective effects on new cell survival in this region.