Chronic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) treatment counteracts SIV-induced modulation of proinflammatory microRNA cargo in basal ganglia-derived extracellular vesicles.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Early invasion of the central nervous system (CNS) by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Gray et al. in Brain Pathol 6:1-15, 1996; An et al. in Ann Neurol 40:611-6172, 1996), results in neuroinflammation, potentially through extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their micro RNAs (miRNA) cargoes (Sharma et al. in FASEB J 32:5174-5185, 2018; Hu et al. in Cell Death Dis 3:e381, 2012). Although the basal ganglia (BG) is a major target and reservoir of HIV in the CNS (Chaganti et al. in Aids 33:1843-1852, 2019; Mintzopoulos et al. in Magn Reson Med 81:2896-2904, 2019), whether BG produces EVs and the effect of HIV and/or the phytocannabinoid-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on BG-EVs and HIV neuropathogenesis remain unknown.

METHODS:

We used the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) model of HIV and THC treatment in rhesus macaques (Molina et al. in AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 27:585-592, 2011) to demonstrate for the first time that BG contains EVs (BG-EVs), and that BG-EVs cargo and function are modulated by SIV and THC. We also used primary astrocytes from the brains of wild type (WT) and CX3CR1+/GFP mice to investigate the significance of BG-EVs in CNS cells.

RESULTS:

Significant changes in BG-EV-associated miRNA specific to SIV infection and THC treatment were observed. BG-EVs from SIV-infected rhesus macaques (SIV EVs) contained 11 significantly downregulated miRNAs. Remarkably, intervention with THC led to significant upregulation of 37 miRNAs in BG-EVs (SIV-THC EVs). Most of these miRNAs are predicted to regulate pathways related to inflammation/immune regulation, TLR signaling, Neurotrophin TRK receptor signaling, and cell death/response. BG-EVs activated WT and CX3CR1+/GFP astrocytes and altered the expression of CD40, TNFα, MMP-2, and MMP-2 gene products in primary mouse astrocytes in an EV and CX3CR1 dependent manners.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings reveal a role for BG-EVs as a vehicle with potential to disseminate HIV- and THC-induced changes within the CNS.

• Authors: Hussein Kaddour, Marina McDew-White, Miguel M Madeira, Malik A Tranquille, Stella E Tsirka, Mahesh Mohan, Chioma M Okeoma
• Journal: Journal of neuroinflammation (J Neuroinflammation) Vol. 19 Issue 1 Pg. 225 (Sep 12 2022) ISSN: 1742-2094 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 36096938 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2022. The Author(s).

Chemical References

• MicroRNAs
• Dronabinol
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 2

Topics

• Animals
• Basal Ganglia (metabolism, pathology)
• Dronabinol (pharmacology)
• Extracellular Vesicles (metabolism)
• Humans
• Macaca mulatta (genetics, metabolism)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (metabolism)
• Mice
• MicroRNAs (metabolism)
• Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (drug therapy)
• Simian Immunodeficiency Virus