Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Summary

As legislative restrictions change, resulting in increased accessibility of cannabinoid products, it is critically important to develop models to study the impact of these exposures, particularly during pregnancy. A preclinical model of moderate prenatal cannabinoid exposure through voluntary ingestion has been developed, enabling more in-depth investigations.

Abstract

Prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE) is becoming increasingly frequent as more states across the United States legalize recreational marijuana (cannabinoids). The consumption of cannabinoid products during pregnancy has been associated with various abnormal outcomes, although historical studies were conducted during a time when the potency of these products was approximately 300% lower than that of current products. Given the rising use of cannabinoids, it is essential to understand the potential impacts PCE may have on fetal neurodevelopment and subsequent infant and child development. Previous studies have demonstrated that PCE negatively affects learning and memory, behavioral skills, sleep, and attention in offspring. The aim of this study is to recapitulate PCE through voluntary ingestion of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabinoid products, during pregnancy in a preclinical model. This article outlines the procedure for achieving moderate PCE throughout gestation. In this model, the control group consumes plain mini-chocolate/peanut butter cookies, while the PCE group consumes THC mixed into peanut butter paired with mini-chocolate cookies. This approach enables further investigation into the impact of PCE on developmental outcomes.

Introduction

As rates of prenatal cannabinoid product use increase¹, likely influenced by the growing legalization of cannabinoid products across the United States, studies are needed to better understand their impact on fetal development. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabinoid products, readily crosses the placenta and interacts with the endogenous endocannabinoid system^2,3. The endogenous endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in neural development and may be a pathway through which developmental alterations occur. Cannabinoid use during pregnancy has been linked to reduced birth weight⁴ and an increased risk of premature birth^5,6. Additional developmental abnormalities, such as deficits in social behavior and executive functions throughout life, have also been reported^7,8,9.

Over time, changes in cannabinoid potency and patterns of use in the general population have highlighted the need for detailed studies on the potential effects of prenatal exposure on fetal development. The use of cannabinoid products during pregnancy is increasing, as these products are often perceived to alleviate symptoms such as depression, stress, pain, sleep disturbances, and nausea^10,11. Dickson et al.¹² conducted a study investigating recommendations from 400 cannabis dispensaries regarding first-trimester use in Colorado and found that approximately half of the dispensaries (50.5%) recommended edibles to pregnant individuals. It is often perceived that edibles avoid harm and health risks associated with smoking^13,14, which results in many pregnant individuals consuming edibles.

Edibles deliver cannabinoids through the gastrointestinal system, where THC is absorbed into the bloodstream and transported via the portal vein to the liver for first-pass metabolism. In the liver, enzymes hydroxylate THC to produce 11-hydroxytetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), a highly potent psychoactive metabolite that easily crosses the blood-brain barrier¹⁵. Although it takes longer for the initial psychoactive effect of edibles (30-90 min), the resulting 'high' lasts longer, with a peak at 2-4 h after ingestion^16,17. The pharmacokinetic half-life of THC is 1.3-7.3 h in rats^18,19.

Given the increasing utilization during pregnancy and the paucity of data on its impact on fetal neurodevelopment, a preclinical model of voluntary THC ingestion during pregnancy was developed, aligning more closely with the reported typical human use (oral consumption to alleviate nausea) to further describe the impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Protocol

All procedures described here were approved by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC) Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). All experiments were conducted in compliance with the ARRIVE guidelines. Long-Evans (Blue Spruce, HsdBlu: LE) rats were obtained from a commercial source. The males used were proven adult breeder rats, 12 weeks old upon arrival and 15-16 weeks old at the start of the breeding protocol. The females weighed 125-150 g and were approximately 6-7 weeks old upon arrival. At the time of breeding, the females were approximately 9-10 weeks old. It is critical to ensure that all prospective dams have no prior history of pregnancy. Allow at least one week for acclimation to the facility and their new housing environment. The first part of this protocol addresses pre-pregnancy cannabinoid consumption, while the second part focuses on pregnancy cannabinoid exposure. Details of the animals, reagents, and equipment used are provided in the Table of Materials. The experimental design is provided in Figure 1.

1. Pre-pregnancy cannabinoid exposure

1. Housing and maintenance
   1. House animals individually in standard rat static micro isolator cages with bedding at 22 °C on a reverse 12-h light/dark schedule (lights on from 21:00 to 09:00 daily).
   2. Provide access to irradiated food (see Table of Materials) and tap water ad libitum throughout the study.
2. Material and chemical preparation
   1. Obtain all required materials and chemicals (as provided in the Table of Materials).
   2. Keep research-grade THC in vials containing 10 mg/mL or 20 mg/mL THC dissolved in ethanol.
      NOTE: Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), as THC is a skin irritant and an aspiration hazard. Secure THC in a steel cabinet, as it is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
3. Baseline measurements
   1. Obtain baseline body weights for each female rat.
4. Preparation of THC-infused cookies
   1. Prepare cookies 30 min prior to administration at 14:00 daily to maintain consistent feeding times.
   2. Separate mini chocolate cookies and add approximately half a teaspoon of peanut butter to the cream.
   3. Mix the required dose of THC (1.5 mg/kg for the first 2 days, followed by 3 mg/kg for 7 days) with the peanut butter before assembling the cookie.
5. Consumption evaluation
   1. Provide a plain peanut butter/mini chocolate cookie for 2-4 days until consistent consumption is achieved. Remove water from the cage and administer the treat to each rat using forceps at 14:00 daily.
   2. Observe until the treat is completely consumed. Remove remnants if necessary.
      NOTE: Administer THC at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg for 2 days, followed by 3 mg/kg for 7 days. Leave treats in the cage for up to 2 h for rats that do not consume immediately.
   3. Continue only with rats that show consistent treat consumption. Remove those with inconsistent ingestion from the experiment.
   4. Evaluate pre-pregnancy consumption for 2 weeks.
6. Post-PCE group assignment
   1. Assign rats with consistent ingestion randomly to either the plain (control) or THC-infused (PCE) cookie group.
   2. Allow a minimum of 4 days without cookies prior to breeding to ensure THC clearance from their systems.

2. Pregnancy (prenatal) cannabinoid exposure

1. Breeding and pregnancy confirmation
   1. Weigh the females to obtain a starting weight before placing them in a cage with a proven male breeder (male is THC-naïve).
   2. Ensure that the female rats do not consume a cookie during this time.
   3. Confirm pregnancy by the presence of a vaginal plug, which typically occurs 24 h after mating.
   4. Weigh the female rat and return it to the home cage. This is defined as Gestational Day (GD) 1.
2. THC infusion during pregnancy
   1. Provide a plain or THC-infused (3 mg/kg) cookie at 14:00 daily starting at GD 1 for the duration of the pregnancy.
   2. Continue this regimen until the dam is noted to be nesting for delivery, at which point THC exposure is stopped.
3. Monitoring maternal weight gain
   1. Weigh the rat dams twice a week to assess maternal weight gain.
      NOTE: The new weights are also used to calculate how much THC to include in the cookie, adjusting the dose as necessary based on the dam's weight.
4. Cessation of THC exposure and birth documentation
   1. Stop the THC exposure procedures when the dam is nesting around the expected time of delivery.
   2. Once offspring are born, record the number of live pups.
   3. Designate the day of birth as postnatal day (P) 0.
5. Weaning and housing of offspring
   1. Wean the offspring at postnatal day (P) 23.
   2. Group house the weaned offspring with littermates based on sex.
6. Euthanasia of dams
   1. Once the litter is weaned, euthanize the dams (when no longer needed) following institutionally approved protocols.

3. Post-procedural steps

1. Offspring housing and monitoring
   1. Ensure all offspring are kept in appropriate housing conditions, ensuring proper temperature, light, and ventilation.
   2. Monitor pups regularly for any health or developmental issues, such as abnormal body weight or developmental delays (from postnatal day 1 onwards).
2. Baseline assessment
   1. If required, assess baseline measures such as body weight, reflexes, or other relevant developmental parameters before initiating experiments on the offspring.
3. Experimental group assignment
   1. Assign pups to experimental groups randomly to minimize any biases in testing.
   2. Limit the number of pups used per experiment to 1-2 pups from each litter to reduce potential litter effects.

Results

To establish voluntary consumption of THC, numerous treats were trialed to determine which ones were palatable to the rats and would be consumed quickly and consistently.

Initially, sugar-free strawberry-flavored gelatin cubes (1 cubic mL size), both with and without THC, were trialed. The amount of strawberry syrup flavoring was increased, and THC was trialed at three different concentrations (2 mg/kg/dose, 3 mg/kg/dose, and 5 mg/kg/dose). The rats did not consistently consume the cubes and w...

Discussion

The PCE paradigm outlined here involves voluntary THC consumption by pregnant rat dams. This is the first study to explore THC administration to pregnant rat dams via voluntary ingestion in a preclinical model. Both groups of rat dams consumed the same rat chow diet, minimizing potential variability in nutrition and caloric intake between groups. Animal models offer the advantage of controlling the timing and dosage of PCE for study purposes.

Pre-pregnancy consumption is assessed to identify r...

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
5L0D PicoLab Laboratory Rodent Diet, irradiated	Purina LabDiet	5L0D
Cellulose/paper bedding BioFresh Comfort Bedding	BioFresh Vet	NA	https://biofreshvet.com/products/
Digital Kitchen Scale	Etekcity	EK4150
Female rats, 125-150 g	Inotiv	14005F
Long-Evans rats (Blue Spruce, HsdBlu: LE)	Inotiv	14016M
N10 Rodent Plastic Cage Bottoms	Ancare	N10PLF
N10 Rodent Wire Lids	Ancare	N10SS
Narrow Pattern Forceps	Fine Science tools (FST)	11002-14
OREO mini chocolate Sandwich cookies, Go Paks, 12-3.5 oz cups	Amazon	B0198TUO7W
proven adult breeder males	Inotiv	14016M
Rat static polysulfone microisolator cages (R20):
Research Grade THC  (only available with a DEA license, Schedule I drug)	NIDA	NA	https://nida.nih.gov/research/research-data-measures-resources/nida-drug-supply-program
SKIPPY Creamy Peanut Butter spread	Amazon	B0C75KZ28C
THC Consumption Supplies: