Δ-THC Induces Up-Regulation of Glutamatergic Pathway Genes in Differentiated SH-SY5Y: A Transcriptomic Study.

Cannabinoids, natural or synthetic, have antidepressant, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and anti-psychotic properties. Cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC) are the most studied cannabinoids, but recently, attention has turned towards minor cannabinoids. Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC), an isomer of Δ-THC, is a compound for which, to date, there is no evidence of its role in the modulation of synaptic pathways. The aim of our work was to evaluate the effects of Δ-THC on differentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Using next generation sequencing (NGS), we investigated whether Δ-THC could modify the transcriptomic profile of genes involved in synapse functions. Our results showed that Δ-THC upregulates the expression of genes involved in the glutamatergic pathway and inhibits gene expression at cholinergic synapses. Conversely, Δ-THC did not modify the transcriptomic profile of genes involved in the GABAergic and dopaminergic pathways.