title: Experimental cannabidiol treatment reduces early pancreatic inflammation in type 1 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D) is induced by invasion of immune cells causing pancreatic inflammation. Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid, derived from the plant, Cannabis sativa, was shown to lower the incidence of diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, an animal model of spontaneous T1D development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of experimental CBD treatment on early pancreatic inflammation in T1D by intravital microscopy (IVM) in NOD mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven-week-old female NOD mice were prophylactically administered daily 5 mg/kg CBD or control vehicle i.p. five times weekly for ten weeks. Animals underwent IVM following confirmation of T1D diagnosis by blood glucose testing. Leukocyte activation and functional capillary density (FCD) were quantified via IVM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CBD-treated NOD mice developed T1D later and showed significantly reduced leukocyte activation and increased FCD in the pancreatic microcirculation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Experimental CBD treatment reduced markers of inflammation in the microcirculation of the pancreas studied by intravital microscopy.
authors: Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.|Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.|Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Lehmann
authors: Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors: Nicholas B
authors: NB
authors: Fisher
authors: Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors: Barna
authors: B
authors: Tugwell
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Szczesniak
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors: Mel
authors: M
authors: Kelly
authors: Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D000069416:Intravital Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D002185:Cannabidiol
keywords: Type 1 diabetes; adhesion molecules; cytokines; functional capillary density; inflammation; intravital microscopy; leukocyte adherence