Investigating the "two-hit hypothesis": effects of prenatal maternal immune activation and adolescent cannabis use on neurodevelopment in mice

BackgroundPrenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) and chronic adolescent cannabis use are both risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, exposure to a single risk factor may not result in major mental illness, indicating that multiple exposures may be required for illness onset. Here, we examine whether combined exposure to prenatal MIA and adolescent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, lead to enduring neuroanatomical and behavioural changes in adulthood. MethodsMice were prenatally exposed to viral mimetic, poly I:C (5mg/kg), or vehicle at gestational day (GD)9, and postnatally exposed to chronic THC (5mg/kg, intraperitoneal) or vehicle during adolescence (postnatal day [PND]28-45). Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed pre-treatment, PND25, post-treatment, PND50, and in adulthood, PND85, followed by behavioural tests for anxiety-like, social, and sensorimotor gating. Postmortem assessment of cannabinoid (CB)1 and 2 receptor expressing cells was performed in altered regions identified by MRI (anterior cingulate and somatosensory cortices, striatum, and hippocampus). ResultsSubtle deviations in neurodevelopmental trajectory and subthreshold anxiety-like behaviours were observed in mice exposed to both risk factors. Sex-dependent effects were observed in patterns of shared brain-behaviour covariation, indicative of potential sex differences in response to MIA and THC. Density of CB1 and CB2 receptor positive cells was significantly decreased in all mice exposed to MIA, THC, or both. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that there may be a cumulative effect of risk factor exposure on gross neuroanatomical development, and that the endocannabinoid system may be sensitive to both prenatal MIA, adolescent THC, or the combination.