The Effects of Cannabinoid Structure on Planarian Regeneration

Undergraduate #10
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Cell and Molecular Biology

Willis L. Thomas III - University of the District of Columbia
Co-Author(s): Rosie A. Sneed, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.

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Cannabinoids have inhibitory effects on the cellular proliferation of certain cancer cell lines. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that both cannabinoid agonists and antagonists also inhibit cell proliferation and regeneration of the head region in the planarian?Girardia tigrina. In this study, we hypothesize that chemical structure is related to a cannabinoid?s ability to affect planarian regeneration. Animals were decapitated, placed into one of 4 treatment groups (media control, DMSO solvent control, 3 micromolar rimonabant, or 5 micromolar PSNCBAM-1) and then allowed to regenerate over a five-day period. Planarians were euthanized with 1 molar hydrochloric acid and stained with acetocarmine to measure head development. Compared to controls, animals treated with rimonabant had both reduced head and eyespot development. Planarians treated with PSNCBAM-1 closely resembled those of the control groups. These data indicate that the actual chemical structure of cannabinoid antagonists is important. In the future, our work will examine the effects of cannabinoids on the molecular level.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): Funding was provided by the NSF/HRD1531014 and 1622811 grants awarded to UDC STEM Center

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Rosie Sneed, rsneed@udc.edu

Role: I am doing all of the research under the supervision of my mentor. I have worked with the planarians, the equipment and cannabinoid drugs.