Background: The phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has previously shown to have anticonvulsant effects in preclinical and clinical studies. Recently, CBD has been approved to treat certain types of drug-resistant epileptic syndromes. However, the underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway has been proposed to modulate seizures and might be recruited by CBD. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that the anticonvulsant effect of CBD involves PI3K in a seizure model induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ).
Methods: We employed pharmacological and genetic approaches to inhibit PI3K and quantified its effects on seizure duration, latency, and number.
Results: PI3K genetic ablation increased the duration and number of seizures. CBD inhibited PTZ-induced seizures in mice. Genetic deletion of PI3K or pretreatment with the selective inhibitor LY294002 prevented CBD effects.
Conclusion: Our data strengthen the hypothesis that the CBD anticonvulsant effect requires the PI3K signaling pathway.
Keywords: Cannabidiol; Cannabinoids; Epilepsy; PTZ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Seizures.
© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences.