Agrobacterium infection of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.): establishment of hairy root cultures

Abstract

Experimental conditions were optimized for hemp, a difficult to transform plant, to be effectively infected with either Ri or Ti plasmid-bearing agrobacteria and to establish stably transformed tissues. Hypocotyl of intact seedlings was the most responsive material and the response depended on both bacterial strain and plant variety. Transformed tissues, hairy roots and tumors, were cultured and stabilized in vitro and showed the characteristic traits of fast and phytohormone-independent growth as well as high incidence of lateral branching and abundance of root hairs in the case of roots. They all contained T-DNA of the corresponding Ri or Ti plasmid as revealed by PCR analysis with specific primers and further hairy roots induced by AR10GUS strain showed normal pattern of β-glucuronidase positive staining. To our knowledge, this represents the first reported protocol for the establishment of Cannabis sativa hairy root cultures.     

Cannabinoids inhibit energetic metabolism and induce AMPK-dependent autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells

The anti-tumoral effects of cannabinoids have been described in different tumor systems, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but their mechanism of action remains unclear. We used cannabinoids specific for the CB1 (ACPA) and CB2 (GW) receptors and metabolomic analyses to unravel the potential pathways mediating cannabinoid-dependent inhibition of pancreatic cancer cell growth. Panc1 cells treated with cannabinoids show elevated AMPK activation induced by a ROS-dependent increase of AMP/ATP ratio. ROS promote nuclear translocation of GAPDH, which is further amplified by AMPK, thereby attenuating glycolysis. Furthermore, ROS determine the accumulation of NADH, suggestive of a blockage in the respiratory chain, which in turn inhibits the Krebs cycle. Concomitantly, inhibition of Akt/c-Myc pathway leads to decreased activity of both the pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2), further downregulating glycolysis, and glutamine uptake. Altogether, these alterations of pancreatic cancer cell metabolism mediated by cannabinoids result in a strong induction of autophagy and in the inhibition of cell growth.     

A Method of Nodose Ganglia Injection in Sprague-Dawley Rat

Afferent signaling via the vagus nerve transmits important general visceral information to the central nervous system from many diverse receptors located in the organs of the abdomen and thorax. The vagus nerve communicates information from stimuli such as heart rate, blood pressure, bronchopulmonary irritation, and gastrointestinal distension to the nucleus of solitary tract of the medulla. The cell bodies of the vagus nerve are located in the nodose and petrosal ganglia, of which the majority are located in the former. The nodose ganglia contain a wealth of receptors for amino acids, monoamines, neuropeptides, and other neurochemicals that can modify afferent vagus nerve activity. Modifying vagal afferents through systemic peripheral drug treatments targeted at the receptors on nodose ganglia has the potential of treating diseases such as sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or chronic cough. The protocol here describes a method of injection neurochemicals directly into the nodose ganglion. Injecting neurochemicals directly into the nodose ganglia allows study of effects solely on cell bodies that modulate afferent nerve activity, and prevents the complication of involving the central nervous system as seen in systemic neurochemical treatment. Using readily available and inexpensive equipment, intranodose ganglia injections are easily done in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats.     

Cannabinodiol: Conclusive identification and synthesis of a new cannabinoid from Cannabis sativa

A constituent of Lebanese hashish was shown to be 2,6-dihydroxy-6′-isopropenyl-3′-methyl-4-n-pentyl-biphenyl, the aromatic analogue of cannabidiol. Synthesis and acid catalyzed conversion into cannabinol confirmed the assignment. This structure, cannabinodiol, was earlier erroneously assigned by others to a different compound; a suggestion for the correct structure of the latter product is given.     

Cannabicitran: A new naturally occurring tetracyclic diether from lebanese Cannabis sativa

A new cannabinoid, cannabicitran, was isolated from Lebanese hashish. This component was found to be identical to synthetic citrylidene-cannabis.     

NUPR1 works against the metabolic stress-induced autophagy-associated cell death in pancreatic cancer cells

The incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is increasing with more than 43,000 predicted new cases in the US and 65,000 in Europe this year. Pancreatic cancer patients have a short life expectancy with less than 3–4% 5-y survival, which results in an equivalent incidence and mortality rate. One of the major challenges in pancreatic cancer is the identification of pharmacological approaches that overcome the resistance of this cancer to therapy. Intensive research in the past decades has led to the classification of pancreatic cancers and the identification of the driver key genetic events. Despite the advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for pancreatic cancer pathogenesis, this knowledge had little impact on significantly improving the treatment for this dismal disease. In particular, we know today that the lack of therapeutic response in pancreatic cancer is due to the intrinsic high resistance of these tumors to chemotherapy and radiation, rather than to the inappropriate design of these therapeutic approaches. Thus, in order to ensure a better outcome for pancreatic cancer patients, there is a strong need for research focused on the mechanism that determines this resistant phenotype and the means that might drive enhanced response to therapy.     

大麻植物中大麻素成分研究进展

大麻（Cannabis sativa）是一种古老的栽培植物, 它既是一种毒品原植物, 又是一种极具开发利用价值的经济作物。大麻素是大麻植物中特有的含有烷基和单萜分子结构的一类次生代谢产物, 目前已分离出70多种, 其中包含使人致幻成瘾的四氢大麻酚（THC）。该文就大麻植物中几种主要的大麻素成分： 四氢大麻酚、大麻二酚（CBD）和大麻环萜酚（CBC）的存在特征、含量变化、生物合成途径、各关键酶及其基因、遗传方式等方面的研究进行概括和归纳, 并展望了当前大麻素的主要研究方向, 对加快我国大麻素的相关研究及大麻育种具有参考意义。