Cannabinoid receptor CB2 modulates axon guidance

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Gabriel Duff
  • Anteneh Argaw
  • Bruno Cecyre
  • Hosni Cherif
  • Nicolas Tea
  • Nawal Zabouri
  • Christian Casanova
  • Ptito, Maurice
  • Jean-François Bouchard

Navigation of retinal projections towards their targets is regulated by guidance molecules and growth cone transduction mechanisms. Here, we present in vitro and in vivo evidences that the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) is expressed along the retino-thalamic pathway and exerts a modulatory action on axon guidance. These effects are specific to CB2R since no changes were observed in mice where the gene coding for this receptor was altered (cnr2 (-/-)). The CB2R induced morphological changes observed at the growth cone are PKA dependent and require the presence of the netrin-1 receptor, Deleted in Colorectal Cancer. Interfering with endogenous CB2R signalling using pharmacological agents increased retinal axon length and induced aberrant projections. Additionally, cnr2 (-/-) mice showed abnormal eye-specific segregation of retinal projections in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) indicating CB2R's implication in retinothalamic development. Overall, this study demonstrates that the contribution of endocannabinoids to brain development is not solely mediated by CB1R, but also involves CB2R.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPLOS ONE
Volume8
Issue number8
Pages (from-to)e70849
ISSN1932-6203
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

    Research areas

  • Animals, Axons, Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases, Embryo, Mammalian, Endocannabinoids, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Geniculate Bodies, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Neurogenesis, Primary Cell Culture, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2, Receptors, Cell Surface, Retinal Ganglion Cells, Visual Pathways

ID: 119766040