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Requirement of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 for the Basal Modulation of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function

Groups of Clinical Neuroendocrinology (D.C., Y.G., J.S., G.K.S.) and Molecular Genetics of Behavior (M.-A.S., G.M., B.L.), Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Physiological Chemistry (M.-A.S., G.M., B.L.), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany; Endocrinology Unit and Centro di Ricerca Biomedica Applicata (C.C., R.P., U.P.), S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy; and Department of Psychiatry (J.P.H.), University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45237

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Uberto Pagotto, Endocrinology Unit and C.R.B.A., S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. E-mail: pagube{at}med.unibo.it.

The endocannabinoid system affects the neuroendocrine regulation of hormone secretion, including the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, the mechanisms by which endocannabinoids regulate HPA axis function have remained unclear. Here we demonstrate that mice lacking cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1^–/–) display a significant dysregulation of the HPA axis. Although circadian HPA axis responsiveness is preserved, CB1^–/– mice are characterized by an enhanced circadian drive on the HPA axis, resulting in elevated plasma corticosterone concentrations at the onset of the dark as compared with wild-type (CB1^+/+) littermates. Moreover, CB1^–/–-derived pituitary cells respond with a significantly higher ACTH secretion to CRH and forskolin challenges as compared with pituitary cells derived from CB1^+/+ mice. Both CBL^–/– and CB1^+/+ mice properly respond to a high-dose dexamethasone test, but response to low-dose dexamethasone is influenced by genotype. In addition, CB1^–/– mice show increased CRH mRNA levels in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus but not in other extrahypothalamic areas, such as the amygdala and piriform cortex, in which CB1 and CRH mRNA have been colocalized. Finally, CB1^–/– mice have selective glucocorticoid receptor mRNA down-regulation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus but not in the dentate gyrus or paraventricular nucleus. Conversely, mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA expression levels were found unchanged in these brain areas. In conclusion, our findings indicate that CB1 deficiency enhances the circadian HPA axis activity peak and leads to central impairment of glucocorticoid feedback, thus further outlining the essential role of the endocannabinoid system in the modulation of neuroendocrine functions.