Enkephalin levels and the number of neuropeptide Y-containing interneurons in the hippocampus are decreased in female cannabinoid-receptor 1 knock-out mice.

TitleEnkephalin levels and the number of neuropeptide Y-containing interneurons in the hippocampus are decreased in female cannabinoid-receptor 1 knock-out mice.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsRogers SA, Van Kempen TA, Pickel VM, Milner TA
JournalNeurosci Lett
Volume620
Pagination97-103
Date Published2016 05 04
ISSN1872-7972
KeywordsAnimals, Cell Count, Cholecystokinin, Dynorphins, Enkephalin, Leucine, Female, Hippocampus, Interneurons, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal, Neuropeptide Y, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
Abstract

Drug addiction requires learning and memory processes that are facilitated by activation of cannabinoid-1 (CB1) and opioid receptors in the hippocampus. This involves activity-dependent synaptic plasticity that is partially regulated by endogenous opioid (enkephalin and dynorphin) and non-opioid peptides, specifically cholecystokinin, parvalbumin and neuropeptide Y, the neuropeptides present in inhibitory interneurons that co-express CB1 or selective opioid receptors. We tested the hypothesis that CB1 receptor expression is a determinant of the availability of one or more of these peptide modulators in the hippocampus. This was achieved by quantitatively analyzing the immunoperoxidase labeling for each of these neuropeptide in the dorsal hippocampus of female wild-type (CB1+/+) and cannabinoid receptor 1 knockout (CB1-/-) C57/BL6 mice. The levels of Leu(5)-enkephalin-immunoreactivity were significantly reduced in the hilus of the dentate gyrus and in stratum lucidum of CA3 in CB1-/- mice. Moreover, the numbers of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive interneurons in the dentate hilus were significantly lower in the CB1-/- compared to wild-type mice. However, CB1+/+ and CB1-/- mice did not significantly differ in expression levels of either dynorphin or cholecystokinin, and showed no differences in numbers of parvalbumin-containing interneurons. These findings suggest that the cannabinoid and opioid systems have a nuanced, regulatory relationship that could affect the balance of excitation and inhibition in the hippocampus and thus processes such as learning that rely on this balance.

DOI10.1016/j.neulet.2016.03.030
Alternate JournalNeurosci. Lett.
PubMed ID27012427
PubMed Central IDPMC4967877
Grant ListR01 DA004600 / DA / NIDA NIH HHS / United States
R01 DA008259 / DA / NIDA NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL098351 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States