GSE158188
Gene expression in the nucleus accumbens shell of adult rats of both sexes after chronic exposure to delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence
Canabinoid exposure during adolescence  alters the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse by mechanisms that are not fully understood. The nucleus accumbens is a key node of the circuit mediating the rewarding effects of most drugs. Here, we present data on the differential gene expression in the nucleus accumbens shell in male and female Wistar rats (postnatal day 90) after exposure to THC (3 mg/kg i.p.) or vehicle (ethanol:cremophor:saline; 1:1:18; 2 mL/kg i.p.) during adolescence (postnatal day 28 to postnatal day 44; injections on alternate days). There were 96 DEGs in THC-males compared to VEH-males and 87 DEGs in the females' comparison. Only nine of these DEGs were present in both the THC vs. VEH comparison in both sexes. Our results suggest that THC exposure during adolescence affects several families of genes that have important functions for brain development, behavior and synaptic plasticity and could explain, at least in part, the complex behavioral phenotype observed in adult individuals with exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence. Overall design: Gene expression profiles in the nucleus accumbens shell of male and female adult rats (around postnatal day 90) with chronic exposure to THC or vehicle during adolescence.