Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract With the legalization of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) and increasing use during pregnancy, it is important to understand its impact on exposed offspring. Specifically, the effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis, on fetal ovarian development and long-term reproductive health are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of prenatal exposure to Δ9-THC on ovarian health in adult rat offspring. At 6 months of age, Δ9-THC-exposed offspring had accelerated folliculogenesis with apparent follicular development arrest, but no persistent effects on circulating steroid levels. Ovaries from Δ9-THC-exposed offspring...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Marijuana is the most widely consumed recreational drug worldwide, which raises concerns for its potential effects on fertility. Many aspects of human male reproduction can be modulated by cannabis-derived extracts (cannabinoids) and their endogenous counterparts, known as endocannabinoids (eCBs). These latter molecules act as critical signals in a variety of physiological processes through receptors, enzymes and transporters collectively termed the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Increasing evidence suggests a role for eCBs, as well as cannabinoids, in various aspects of male sexual and reproductive health. Although preclinical studies have clearly shown that ECS is involved in negative...

ABSTRACT Cannabis use in the United States is increasing, with highest consumption among men attheir peak reproductive years. We previously demonstrated widespread changes in spermDNA methylation with cannabis exposure in humans and rats, including genes important inneurodevelopment. Here, we use anin vitrohuman spermatogenesis model to recapitulatechronic cannabis use and assess DNA methylation at imprinted and autism spectrum dis-order (ASD) candidate genes in spermatogonial stem cell (SSC)- and spermatid-like cells.Methylation at maternally imprinted genesSGCEandGRB10was significantly altered in SSC-and spermatid-like cells, respectively, whilePEG3was significantly differentially methylatedin spermatid-like cells. Two of ten randomly selected ASD candidate genes,HCN1andNR4A2,had significantly altered methylation with cannabis exposure in SSC-like cells. Theseresults...

Abstract Background Male factor contributes to up to 50% of cases of couples experiencing infertility. Cannabis is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs, and its effects on the reproductive system have been largely debated in the literature. Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of recreational cannabis use on total T (tT) levels, gonadal status, and sperm parameters in a cohort of primary infertile non-Finnish, white-European men. Materials and methods Data of 2074 white-European men visited for primary couple's infertility were analyzed. Lifestyle factors and cannabis use were investigated in all participants. Semen analyses were based on the...

Abstract Background Cannabis legalization is expanding and men are the predominant users. We have limited knowledge about how cannabis impacts sperm and whether the effects are heritable. Results Whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) data were generated for sperm of rats exposed to: (1) cannabis extract (CE) for 28 days, then 56 days of vehicle only (~ one spermatogenic cycle); (2) vehicle for 56 days, then 28 days of CE; or (3) vehicle only. Males were then mated with drug-naïve females to produce F1 offspring from which heart, brain, and sperm tissues underwent analyses. There were 3321 nominally significant differentially methylated CpGs in F0 sperm identified via WGBS with select...

Please use this link to access this publication Abstract Purpose Cannabis use has reportedly increased in type 2 diabetic users as a possible co-treatment for associated pain and inflammation. Both cannabis and metformin (an anti-diabetic drug) have a limited number of studies completed on their effect on male reproductive parameters in a diabetic model. This study determined if cannabis and metformin administration alter various reproductive parameters in diabetic male rats. Methods Male Wistar rats (n = 35) were fed on a high fat diet and injected with streptozotocin (30 mg/kg rat) to induce a type-2 diabetic model. Treatment groups received cannabis based on Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations of...

Abstract Cannabis is one of the most widely consumed recreational drugs among reproductive aged adults around the globe. It is known that Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, can interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) via cannabinoid receptor 1. Components of the ECS are highly involved in regulating mammalian reproductive processes such as oocyte, sperm, and embryo development by modulating gene expression, apoptosis, and several intracellular pathways. Previous research in our lab demonstrated that THC exposure to bovine oocytes, the ideal translational model for human, was detrimental to in vitro maturation, increased apoptosis in blastomeres and altered gene expression (Misner et al., 2021)....

Please use this link to access publication OBJECTIVE: The endocannabinoid system is involved in pain perception and inflammation. Cannabis contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which are cannabinoids that bind to endocannabinoid system receptors. A fatty acid amide called palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) enhances endogenous cannabinoids. Given that use of medical cannabis is increasing, we sought to characterize patterns of cannabis use for gynecologic pain and its effectiveness as an analgesic. DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov using terms for “woman,” “cannabis,” and “pain” or “pelvic pain” or “endometriosis” or “bladder pain” or “cancer.” The search was restricted to English-language articles published between January...

Please use this link to access publication Abstract There have been conflicting reports on the impact of Cannabis sativa impact on reproductive function. Hence this study was aimed to ascertain the impact of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) binding affinity on human androgen receptor (AR) via computational molecular dynamic simulation. The human AR coordinate in this study is derived from human AR in complex with the ligand metribolone (R18) (PBD ID: 1E3G) template using (MODELER version. 9.15). CBD (PubChem CID: 644019), and THC (PubChem CID: 16078) 2D structures were retrieved from PubChem and docked (Autodock-Vina inbuilt in PyMol into the active site of human AR using...

Abstract Objective Recreational marijuana use is becoming increasingly widespread. With potential implications for fertility and embryonic development, we set out to evaluate the impact of THC exposure on the pre- and post-implantation embryo through embryonic stem cell proliferation, mitochondrial function and metabolism. Materials and Methods Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can be differentiated into epiblast-like cells (EpiLCs) using known in vitro methods via growth factors and cytokines. ESCs recapitulate important features of pre-implantation stem cells; EpiLCs model post-implantation features. ESCs and EpiLCs were exposed to a range of Δ9-THC concentrations: 0-100μM over 48 hours. Cell proliferation and viability were assessed via Trypan blue and...