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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2015 Mar 10;214(1):63–74. doi: 10.1111/apha.12474

Effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors in immune cells

Lucie Jean-Gilles 1,**, Manjit Braitch 1,**, M Liaque Latif 3, Jehan Aram 1, Angela J Fahey 1, Laura J Edwards 1, R Adrian Robins 2, Radu Tanasescu 1,5, Patrick J Tighe 2, Bruno Gran 1, Louise C Showe 4, Steve P Alexander 3, Victoria Chapman 3, David A Kendall 3, Cris S Constantinescu 1,*
PMCID: PMC4669958  NIHMSID: NIHMS740574  PMID: 25704169

Abstract

Aims

To investigate the regulation of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 on immune cells by proinflammatory cytokines and its potential relevance to the inflammatory neurological disease, multiple sclerosis (MS).

CB1 and CB2 signalling may be anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective in neuroinflammatory diseases. Cannabinoids can suppress inflammatory cytokines but the effects of these cytokines on CB1 and CB2 expression and function are unknown.

Methods

Immune cells from peripheral blood were obtained from healthy volunteers and patients with MS. Expression of CB1 and CB2 mRNA in whole blood cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and T cells was determined by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Expression of CB1 and CB2 protein was determined by flow cytometry. CB1 and CB2 signaling in PBMC was determined by Western blotting for Erk1/2.

Results

Proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α (the latter likely NFκB-dependently) can up-regulate CB1 and CB2 on human whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We also demonstrate up-regulation of CB1 and CB2 and increased IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA in blood of MS patients compared with controls.

Conclusion

The levels of CB1 and CB2 can be up-regulated by inflammatory cytokines, which can explain their increase in inflammatory conditions including MS.

Keywords: Cannabinoid receptor 1, cannabinoid receptor 2, inflammatory cytokines, regulation, multiple sclerosis

Introduction

Activation of cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2 by endocannabinoids or exogenous ligands can suppress inflammation (Tanasescu and Constantinescu, 2010). The endocannabinoid (EC) system consists of the G-protein coupled receptors CB1 and CB2, the endogenous ligands such as anandamide and 2-arachidonylglycerol and the synthesizing and metabolizing enzymes (Alexander and Kendall, 2007). Exogenous cannabinoid compounds such as phytocannabinoids Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol have immunomodulatory properties (Tanasescu and Constantinescu, 2010). They inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines (Klein et al., 2000); (Jean-Gilles et al., 2010), suppress T cell proliferation (Katona et al., 2005), induce T cell apoptosis (Rieder et al., 2010) and reduce migration and adhesion of immune cells. CB receptors are expressed on immune cells including B cells, T cells, neutrophils and NK cells, with CB2 levels known to be higher than those of CB1 (Galiegue et al., 1995). Their widespread location in the immune system allows CB receptor activation to regulate cytokine levels.

Both CB receptors are also expressed in CNS cells such as neurons, oligodendrocytes astrocytes, and microglia (Pertwee, 2010, Molina-Holgado et al., 2002, Stella, 2009, Sheng et al., 2005). All these cells can secrete inflammatory mediators that are implicated in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) (Hemmer et al., 2006). MS is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS white and grey matter which is characterized by demyelination, axonal injury, and gliosis (Compston and Coles, 2008). Inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 are elevated in lesions, cerebrospinal fluid and blood of patients with MS (Filion et al., 2003, Kahl et al., 2002, Kleine et al., 2003, Malamud et al., 2003). These cytokines are thought to play a role both in the CNS and in the periphery in neuroinflammatory disease including MS (Compston and Coles, 2008).

Neuroprotective and immunomodulatory effects of cannabinoids have been demonstrated in the animal model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) (Pryce et al., 2003) (Arevalo-Martin et al., 2003). Beneficial effects were associated with diminished CNS mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Croxford and Miller, 2003). Cannabinoids have also shown symptomatic benefit in human MS clinical trials (Pertwee, 2002, Rog, 2010, Zajicek et al., 2003, Kavia et al., 2010) where reduced pain, sleep disturbance, bladder overactivity, tremor and spasticity have been observed.

Although CB signalling and the regulation of cytokines by cannabinoids are well documented (De Jesus et al., 2006, Rubio-Araiz et al., 2008), only a few recent studies, in rodents mostly, have looked at the effects of inflammatory cytokines on the cannabinoid system. An increase in interferon (IFN)-γ modulated microglial CB2 receptors in neuropathic pain and MS mouse models (Maresz et al., 2005, Racz et al., 2008). Also, CB2 up-regulation in chronic EAE correlated highly with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Loría et al., 2008). CB1 receptors were also up-regulated by the Th2 cytokine IL-4 (which down regulates both Th1 and Th17 cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of MS and EAE) and by cannabinoids themselves in human T lymphocytes (Börner et al., 2007, Borner et al., 2008) while IFN-γ was not shown to have any effect on CB1 expression by human T cells (Börner et al., 2007). In other studies in EAE, CB2 was shown to be up-regulated in a progressive manner on specific post-immunization days in the presence of cytokines IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-4, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α (Lou et al., 2011), while CB1 receptor expression was down-regulated on same days (Lou et al., 2012). Those studies suggest that manipulation of CB and CB receptors may have therapeutic value in MS.

In the present study, we investigate the effects of the above proinflammatory cytokines on the expression of CB1 and CB2 on immune cells from both healthy subjects and patients with MS. We also show an up-regulation of mRNA for CB receptors and for TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 in peripheral blood of people with MS compared to healthy controls.

Materials and Methods

Donors and RNA extraction from blood

The study conforms with Guidelines for Acta Physiologica (Persson, 2013). Whole blood was obtained from 20 MS patients (relapsing-remitting, n=12; secondary-progressive, n=6; and primary-progressive, n=2). These included 13 females and 7 males aged 28–64 years; mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (Kurtzke, 1983) =4.6; range, 2.0 – 7.5. The patients were free of MS-specific immunomodulatory, immunosuppressive or monoclonal antibody therapies for at least 2 months.

Nineteen age- and gender-matched healthy volunteer subjects (14 females and 5 males, aged 27–62 years), not taking medicines, were used as controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from heparinised whole blood obtained from healthy adult donors (8 females, 8 males; age 21–56 years) by density gradient centrifugation. Cells were re-suspended in 10% FCS/RPMI, transferred to 24-well plates at 1 ×106/well, and unstimulated or stimulated with IL-6 (100 ng/ml), IL-1β (100 ng/ml) or TNF-α (25 ng/ml) (Peprotech, London, UK) in the absence or presence of the NFκB inhibitor SN50 (18 μM) (Calbiochem, Nottingham, UK) and incubated at 37°C (5% CO2) for 18 h.

In a separate experiment comparing MS and control PBMC responses to pro-inflammatory cytokines, PBMC were isolated as above from 12 MS patients different from the above (10 females, 2 males; mean ±SD age 48.3±13.8 years) and 12 healthy controls (7 females, 5 males, males; mean ±SD age 42.8±10.2 years). 5 were not receiving and 7 were receiving disease modifying treatment (5 interferon, 2 glatiramer acetate). Frozen PBMC were thawed and unstimulated or stimulated with IL-6, IL-1β or TNF-α (100 pg/ml). Expression of CB1 and CB2 mRNA and protein was analysed by qRTPCR and flow cytometry, respectively.

Generation of polyclonally activated T cells (T cell blasts)

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)/IL-2 stimulated T cells were obtained from PBMC as shown before (Fahey et al., 2007) and after 24 h serum starvation stimulated with IL-6, IL-1β ([100 ng/ml) or TNF-α (25 ng/ml) for a further 18 h.

RNA extraction and Quantification

This was performed as previously described (Fahey et al., 2007, Jean Gilles et al., 2009).

Whole blood preparation for flow cytometry

0.5 ml of heparinized venous blood was unstimulated or stimulated with IL-1β, IL-6 (100 ng/ml) or TNF-α (25 ng/ml) and incubated for 18 h (37°C; 5%CO2). 2 mmol/L EDTA (pH 8) was added to tubes and incubated for 15 min (RT) Aliquotes were exposed to FACS lysing and FACS permeabilizing solution (BD Biosciences,) and stained with antibodies CB1 [1:50] (PA1-745), CB2 [1:50] (PA1-744) (Affinity Bioreagents, Golden, CO, USA) or control normal rabbit IgG [1:40] (ProSci Inc., Poway, CA, USA), then incubated with PE-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG [1:10] (Invitrogen, Paisley, UK) and were fixed in 1% formaldehyde/PBS for flow cytometry (Beckman-Coulter Altra Sorter, High Wycombe, UK).

Reverse Transcriptase Reaction and Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

These studies were performed as previously described (Fahey et al., 2007) on a Mx4000 or Mx3005 platform (Stratagene). Reaction conditions are available on request. Primer sequences are in table 1. Beta-2-microglobulin (B2MG) (PBMC, T cells) and large human ribosomal protein-PO (RPLPO) (whole blood) were used as housekeeping genes for normalization of data.

Table 1.

Primers used for PCR

B2MG for 5′-CTC CGT GGC CTT AGC TGT G-3′
B2MG rev 5′-TTT GGA GTA CGC TGG ATA GCC T-3′
RPLPO for 5′-CCA CGC TGC TGA ACA TGC T-3′
RPLPO rev 5′-TCG AAC ACC TGC TGG ATG AC-3′
CB1 for 5′-CTG GAA CTG CGA GAA ACT G-3′
CB1 rev 5′-CGC ATA CAC GAT GAA CAG AAG-3′
CB2 for 5′-GCC TCT TCC CAA TTT AAA CAA C-3′
CB2 rev 5′-AGT CAG TCC CAA CAC TCA TC-3′
IL-6 for 5′-TCA ATG AGG AGA CTT GCC TG-3′
IL-6 rev 5′-GAT GAG TTG TCA TGT CCT GC-3′
IL-1β for 5′-GGA TAT GGA GCA ACA AGT GG-3′
IL-1β rev 5′-ATG TAC CAG TTG GGG AAC TG-3′
TNF-α for 5′-ACA AGC CTG TAG CCC ATG TT-3′
TNF-α rev 5′-AAA GTA GAC CTG CCC AGA CT-3′
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for=forward; rev=reverse

mRNA results were based on normalised ratio to the internal standard expression (RPLPO for blood or B2MG for PBMC and T cells) and significance (p ≤ 0.05) in differences between the groups was determined by t-test and one-way repeated measures ANOVA.

Intracellular Staining and Flow Cytometry

PBMCs thawed from 12 MS patients and 12 healthy controls were unstimulated, or stimulated with cytokines then incubated for 24 hours. For some experiments (not shown), conjugated anti-CD4, CD8 (T cells), CD3-, -CD14, -CD16, -CD19 (PBMC) mouse monoclonal antibodies were added. After fixation and permeabilization, they were stained with CB1-APC (and isotype control) and CB2 primary antibody (R&D), incubated for 30 minutes, then stained with FITC secondary antibody and isotype control (R&D). Data were analysed using Weasel v3.1.

For T cell experiments, the same above reagents as for whole blood were used. CB1 and CB2 protein abundance was using WINMDI software. Changes in mean fluorescence intensity (geometric (g) mean) and/or % of positive cells were calculated by comparing negative control (no anti-CB1 or CB2 antibodies used), unstimulated and stimulated (with cytokines) cells. Positive cells were gated in two-parameter histograms and/or shifts (increase in mean or median fluorescence intensity (MFI) were gated within marker M1 for single-parameter histograms and averaged across whole population.

Western Blotting

PBMC were in 2%FCS/RPMI with or without cytokines, CB1/CB2 agonist HU-210 (Tocris) [100 nM] in the presence or absence of CB1 antagonist SR141716A (SR1, rimonabant) and CB2 antagonist SR144528 (SR2) [300 nM] (gifts from Sanofi) and were centrifuged for 10 min (300 × g, 4°C). The supernatant was discarded and lysis buffer (with 20 mmol/L Tris, 1 mmol/L EGTA and protease inhibitor (Sigma P8340)) was added. Samples were homogenised for 30 min (4°C) and supernatant extracted. To quantify protein, Lowry test was conducted for homogenates and human recombinant CB1 and CB2 proteins (Axxora, UK) used as positive controls, and protein was equally loaded onto gels. 2x solubilisation buffer (containing Tris [20 mmol/L] (Invitrogen), glycerol, sodium dodecyl sulphate [10%] (SDS), β-mercaptoethanol and Bromophenol Blue (Sigma)) was added [1:2] and samples were heated to 100°C for 5 min. Proteins [20 μg] were loaded onto 10% SDS gels and resolved by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a standard marker ladder of known molecular weights run alongside (45 min, 200 V). Following transfer onto nitrocellulose membranes (Amersham Biosciences) (60 min, 100 V, 4°C) and staining with Ponceau S (Sigma), blots were blocked in 1 g/20 ml non-fat dry milk in 0.1% Tris-buffered saline-Tween 20 (pH 7.6) for 60 min. Separated membranes were incubated overnight (4°C) with anti-CB1 (1:500), -CB2 (1:1000) (Affinity Bioreagents), total- or phosphorylated (p)-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 42/44 (Erk1/2) (1:1000) antisera (Cell Signaling Biotechnology). Blots were then washed and incubated with secondary antibody horseradish peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG (Amersham Biosciences) in blocking buffer [1:2000] for 60min (RT) and re-probed with β-actin (1:4000) antibody (Abcam, Cambridge, UK) as a loading control using enhanced chemoluminescent reagents, hyperfilm (Amersham) and Kodak reagents for development. Specific immunoreactive bands were analysed using a Bio-Rad GS-710 imaging scanning densitometer. Protein differences between samples were analyzed based on optical density (OD) of each band and by two-tailed t-test with p ≤0.05. Differences were explored using one-way repeated measurements ANOVA.

Results

CB1 and CB2 expression in cytokine-stimulated whole blood, PBMC and PHA/IL-2 induced T cells of normal subjects

The effects of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α on CB1 and CB2 receptor gene expression in whole blood, PBMC and T cells are shown in figure 1. TNF-α significantly induced CB1 and CB2 mRNA levels in whole blood (p=0.02, p=0.01), T cells (p=0.04, p=0.04) and PBMC (p=0.01, p=0.04) compared to unstimulated cells. In each cell population, the expression of CB receptor mRNA levels induced by TNF-α were 2 to 3 times higher than levels induced by IL-6 and IL-1β. Although IL-1β and IL-6 significantly increased CB1 (p=0.04, p=0.04) and CB2 (p=0.03, p=0.02) mRNA levels in whole blood, induction by these cytokines in T cells did not reach significance. In PBMC, a non-significant increase was noted for CB2 (p= 0.06 for IL-6; p=0.07 for IL-1β) and for CB1 (p= 0.12 for IL-6; p=0.19 for IL-1β). These differences may reflect a direct or indirect contribution of CB mRNA induction in polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

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CB1 and CB2 mRNA expression in whole blood, T cells and PBMC. Cytokine stimulation was with IL-6 [100ng/ml], IL-1β [100ng/ml] and TNF-α [25ng/ml] mRNA levels for CB1 (left) and CB2 (right) (arbitrary units) are presented as mean ± S.E.M. normalised to RPLPO in whole blood and to B2MG in T cells and PBMC. t-test for independent samples: * = p< 0.05 ; **= p< 0.025; n= 4–5 experiments per condition.

The effects of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α on the CB1 and CB2 receptor at the protein level assessed using flow cytometry are shown in figure 2. Although all three pro-inflammatory cytokines increased CB1 and CB2 protein expression levels, stimulation with TNF-α induced higher levels than IL-6 or IL-1β in whole blood and PBMC (figures 2 a & b). CB1- and CB2-immunopositivity in whole blood gated for monocytes/lymphocytes was confirmed to be increased by TNF-α (CB1 MFI = 973 ± 243, p=0.001 and CB2 MFI=206 ± 56, p=0.02) when compared to unstimulated samples (MFI=42.1 ± 14.1). CB1 protein MFI was also increased in whole blood stimulated with IL-1β (317.4 ± 64.5, p=0.009) and IL-6 (594.6 ± 130.8, p=0.005). CB2 protein MFI induced by IL-1β showed a nonsignificant increase (81.5 ± 20.4, p=0.06), and with IL-6 it was significantly increased (106.3 ± 28.7, p=0.05) (fig 2a). PBMC stimulated with cytokines showed increases in CB1 (MFI: TNF-α = 84.9 ± 17.8; p=0.02); IL-6 (49.1 ± 1.1; p=0.04); IL-1β (32.1 ± 7.0; p=0.04). CB2 protein levels (MFI for TNF-α = 13.5 ± 4.0; p=0.08; IL-6: 11.9 ± 3.0; p=0.09; IL-1β: 10.5 ± 2.9; p=0.12) only showed an insignificant increase compared to unstimulated (MFI= 9.0 ± 2.7) samples (fig 2b). CB receptor protein expression on T cells showed similar regulation by cytokines to that of PBMC (data not shown).

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

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(a–b) CB1 and CB2 protein expression determined by flow cytometry. Changes were measured as increase in mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of gated lymphocytes/monocytes (a) CB1 and CB2 in whole blood (left panel). (b) CB1 and CB2 in PBMC (right panel). See text for significance levels. Results shown are representative of 5 independent experiments. Control = rabbit IgG.

MAPK (Erk1/2) activation in HU-210 stimulated-PBMC

To confirm that CB receptors were functional in PBMC, HU-210 (100nM), a non-selective CB1 and CB2 receptor agonist, was used to activate them. HU-210 was chosen due to its potency in preference to weaker selective agonists (Alexander and Kendall, 2007). HU-210-stimulated PBMC showed a transient enhancement of pMAPK42/44 levels (23% increase; p =0.03) compared to control (FCS 2%; ODavg= 0.22 ± 0.04) to peak at 15 minutes (figure 3) although no significant increase in total MAPK was observed. Immunoreactivity of p42 was more prominent than p44. Beta-actin immunoreactivity was unchanged.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 3

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(a) Densitometry measurements in phosphorylated (p)ERK response to stimulation. Response of PBMCs to FCS 2% and 10%, followed by a time dependent (5–20min) response to 100nM HU-210. The 2% vs 10% FCS on these blots demonstrates a well-established up-regulation of pERK by high concentrations of FCS. The difference between the average OD of pERK at 15 min stimulation was statistically significant compared with 2% FCS (p= 0.03, n=3 experiments; indicated with asterisk). The highest level of pERK with exposure to 100nM HU-210 was observed after 15min (average OD=0.25 ± 0.08) with a 23% increase (b) Phosphorylated ERK 42/ 44 (pERK, 42kDa) and (c) Total Erk 42/44 (Erk) (d) Beta actin was used as house-keeping protein; levels remained unchanged.

MAPK (Erk1/2) activation in cytokine stimulated-PBMC

Total and phosphorylated (p)MAPK42/44 immunoreactivity was also assessed in cytokine-stimulated PBMC, with or without exposure to the cannabinoid receptor antagonists SR 141716 and SR 144528 (SR1 and SR2), by re-probing of blots (figure 4). Our preliminary work showed that the combination of SR1 and SR2 rather than individual antagonist use is typically needed to antagonize HU-210 effectively in immune cells. No significant change was observed in total MAPK42/44 immunoreactivity (ODavg= 0.20 ± 0.03) whereas pMAPK42/44 was increased in the presence of cytokines, potentially reflecting CB receptor response to cytokine stimulation in PBMC. These levels were decreased close to basal levels (ODavg= 0.21 ± 0.05) in the presence of SR1 and SR2 (fig 4). TNF-α induced the highest level of pMAPK42/44 immunoreactivity (ODavg= 0.72 ± 0.14; p= 0.03); SR1/SR2 reduced it (ODavg= 0.53 ± 0.08; p= 0.04) while remaining above basal levels. Beta-actin immunoreactivity remained unchanged.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4

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Immunoreactivity for pErk 42/44 and effects of cytokine treatment in PBMC. (a) Densitometry measurements from 3 experiments. TNF-a stimulated cells express significantly higher pErk levels than unstimulated cells or TNF-a stimulated cells in the presence of SR1 and 2 NFkB inhibitors, as indicated by asterisk. At 42kDa, TNF-α induced an increase in pErk levels (OD avg= 0.72 ± 0.14; p= 0.03) compared to unstimulated samples and its effects were reduced synergistically by SR1 and SR2 (OD avg= 0.53 ± 0.08; 26%; p = 0.04). t-test for independent samples with p < 0.05; n=3.

(b) Bands corresponding to pErk 42/44, were detected while (c) only bands at 42kDa were detected for total Erk (ErK); this showed no significant change. (d) b-actin showed no significant change.

CB1 and CB2 immunoreactivity and functional response in cytokine stimulated-PBMC

CB1 and CB2 immunoreactivity was assessed by Western blot in cytokine-stimulated PBMC with or without the cannabinoid receptor antagonists SR141716A (SR1) and SR144528 (SR2) (300nM each). Two bands were detected at around 60kDa and 37kDa possibly corresponding to CB1 dimer and monomer, respectively, and a band migrating at approximately 60kDa representing CB2 monomer (figure 5). These band sizes were similar to those obtained in the previous literature (De Jesus et al., 2006; Nunez et al., 2004), and to those of reference human CB1 recombinant protein (figure 5, left lane). CB1 and CB2 protein expression was up-regulated by exposure to cytokines and down-regulated in the presence of SR1 and SR2. The maximum OD increase was 55% (p = 0.02) for CB1 and 17% for CB2 (p= 0.07), possibly because of a higher baseline expression of CB2. No significant changes were observed in beta-actin immunoreactivity.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 5

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(a) a1. Densitometry graph of the Western blots (n=3) for CB1 at 60 kDa. a2. Western blots showing immunoreactivity to CB1 antibody. Bands were detected at 32 (not shown) and 60kDa corresponding to CB1. Lower blot (a2) is the corresponding β-actin. (b) b1. Densitometry graph of the Western blots (n=3) for CB2. b2 shows 60kDa band for CB2 and below; lower blot (b) is its corresponding β-actin. TNF-α increased CB2 levels (OD avg=0.34 ± 0.07; 17% increase) which was reduced in presence of receptor antagonists (OD avg=0.27 ± 0.07). TNF-α increased CB1 (OD avg= 0.65 ± 0.13; 55% increase; p < 0.025). No changes in corresponding β-actin were observed.

Effect of NFkB-inhibitor treatment on cannabinoid receptor and TNF-α gene expression in PBMC

NFκB is a key transcription factor for several inflammatory mediators including TNF-α. Given that this cytokine induced the highest levels of CB1 and CB2 expression (see above), we investigated its influence on cannabinoid receptor and TNF-α gene expression in PBMC unstimulated or stimulated with TNF-α, in the presence or absence of the NFκB inhibitor SN50 (18μM). SN50 significantly decreased the levels of CB1, CB2 and TNF-α mRNA (p= 0.004, p= 0.002 and p= 0.004, respectively) compared to those of unstimulated cells and also decreased their expression in TNF-α-stimulated PBMC (all p< 0.05) (figure 6). These results indicate that TNF-α induction of CB1, CB2, and TNF-α itself involves the NFκB signaling pathways.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

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Effects of NFκB-inhibitor SN50 [18μM] on CB1(left), CB2 (middle) and TNF-α (right) mRNA in unstimulated and TNF-α-stimulated PBMC. The NFκB-inhibitor (SN50) decreased expression levels of each gene by more than a half in TNF-α-stimulated PBMC. Data represent mean average ±S.E.M; n= 4. t-test *= p < 0.05; ** p < 0.005.

Cytokine, CB1 and CB2 mRNA expression in blood from MS patients

mRNA levels for IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly increased in MS patient blood compared to that of controls. IL-6 showed the largest increase (17-fold; p= 0.01) in the MS group while IL-1β showed 5-fold (p= 0.02) and TNF-α 6-fold (p= 0.01) increase (figure 7a). CB1 and CB2 mRNA were also significantly elevated in MS blood compared to that of controls. CB1 and CB2 gene expression was increased approximately 4- (p= 0.02) and 5-fold (p= 0.01), respectively, in MS patients (figure 7b).

Fig. 7.

Fig. 7

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Cytokine and cannabinoid receptor mRNA results were based on normalised ratio of mean mRNA to mean RPLPO gene. (a) TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and cannabinoid receptors (b) CB1 and CB2 mRNA expression measured by qPCR in control (n=19) versus MS (n=20) blood. Data are displayed as mean ± S.E.M of 3–4 experiments. Asterisks (*) = p<0.025 unpaired Student’s t-test.

CB1 and CB2 mRNA and protein expression in MS versus healthy control cytokine-stimulated PBMC

To compare inducibility of CB receptors by cytokines in normal human immune cells and those of patients with MS, we investigated the effects of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α on CB mRNA of PBMC from 12 normal control subjects and 12 age and sex matched MS patients. We used low concentration ranges (100 pg/ml), that are close to those found in body fluids in inflammatory circumstances. In this sample, the same trends as with the higher concentrations used above in normal controls were noted (data not shown). Statistical significance and a trend is seen for CB1 and CB2 increase at baseline in MS patients (p=0.04 and 0.07, respectively). IL-6 increased both CB1 and CB2 mRNA in healthy controls (p=0.018 and 0.013 respectively). The results partially confirm those using higher cytokine concentrations, but indicate that the lower concentrations are less potent. The data suggest that MS patients’ PBMC tend to respond similarly to those of healthy subjects in terms of CB induction, however, starting from higher baseline expression levels. No significant differences were noted between untreated patients and those on immunomodulatory treatment.

At the protein levels similar trends were observed. Significance was noted in CB2 levels being higher in all cytokine stimulated PBMC of MS than in healthy controls (Figure 8).

Fig. 8.

Fig. 8

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CB1 and CB2 expression, represented as median fluorescence intensity (left panel) in PBMC from 12 healthy controls and 12 MS patients under the specified stimulation conditions. Data are shown for lymphocyte/monocyte-gated cells. The right panel is a representative histogram of CB1 and CB2 expression in an MS patient’s PBMCs in different stimulation conditions. Colour legend, Black: Isotype Control; Red: Unstimulated; Orange: +IL-1β; Blue: +IL-6; Pink: +TNF-α. Results show a statistically significant increase in CB2 expression between controls and MS patients after stimulation with IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α.

Discussion

Our study contributes to the evidence that the interaction between the cannabinoid system and the cytokine network is bidirectional (Roche et al., 2008, Rubio-Araiz et al., 2008) extends this evidence to human biology. CB1 and CB2 expression levels were most significantly induced by TNF-α. This occurs, at least in part, through NFκB activation as its inhibition suppressed TNF-α-enhanced CB1, CB2 as well as TNF-α gene expression itself. Activation of NFκB could have been induced by stimulation of the TNF receptor. Upon activation, NFκB translocates to the nucleus where it binds DNA and triggers the transcription of target genes (Ledeboer et al., 2005), some of which encode inflammatory proteins and may also include the cannabinoid receptor genes. It has been shown that the CB receptors are involved in TNF-α mediated NFκB activation (Zheng et al., 2008). NFκB mediates the TNF-α - induced transcription of CB1 gene in neurons (Borner et al., 2012). Thus, cytokine-responsive cells such as T cells, macrophages, neurons, astrocytes, and microglia may enhance CB1 and CB2 expression through the NFkB pathway. A study by Börner et al. (Börner et al., 2007) provides support for this, showing that the activation of human T cells up-regulates CB1 but not CB2, transcription, and that CD3/CD28-mediated up-regulation is in part NFκB-dependent through activation of CB1 promoter.

On the other hand, caution is invited in interpretation of our results, since SN50 may not be highly specific for NFκB, being also a proteasome and AP-1 inhibitor (Boothby, 2001). Of note, in a separate but similar experimental setup we were unable to block the induction of CB1 and CB2 in the presence of AP-1 inhibitor NGDA, suggesting at least that the effect of SN50 was not due to AP-1 blockade (Jean Gilles L, Constantinescu CS, unpublished observations).

Activation of MAPK reflects CB receptor activity. Recently CB2 was shown to be up-regulated by stimulation with IL-1β, TNF-α or lipopolysaccharide in synovial fibroblasts of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and the selective CB2 agonist HU-308 inhibited IL-1β-induced production of IL-6 and IL-1β-induced activation of Erk 1/2 and p38 MAPK (Gui et al., 2014). In our study, the up-regulation of CB1 and CB2 mRNA and protein was paralleled by activation of MAPK upon exposure to pro-inflammatory cytokines. This confirms that the up-regulation of CB receptors in immune cells has functional consequences. However, the similarity of MAPK activation by cannabinoid receptor activation and by inflammatory cytokines in PBMC, does not necessarily imply that these phenomena are causally linked. Our findings of up-regulation of CB by inflammatory cytokines and in MS, together with the dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system in MS (Jean-Gilles et al., 2009), raises the possibility of a therapeutic effect of cannabinoids in inflammatory diseases.

We show that cannabinoid receptors are functional in PBMC, as stimulation with HU-210 enhanced phosphorylation of MAPK 42/44 (also known as ERK1/2). Cannabinoids have previously been shown to activate these kinases through the activation of cannabinoid receptors (Upham et al., 2003). The fact that exposure of cytokine-stimulated cells to cannabinoid receptor antagonists, SR1 and SR2 synergistically suppressed the functional response of the cannabinoid receptors to cytokines suggests that these responses were direct and specific.

The present study also demonstrates that CB1 and CB2 up-regulation in the blood of MS patients. This is in line with very recent data by Sanchez Lopez et al. which shows an increased expression of cannabinoid receptors in peripheral blood lymphocytes from MS patients (Sanchez Lopez et al., 2014). Of note, in the second set of experiments comparing PBMC from healthy controls and MS patients, the up-regulation in MS was less prominent. The difference from baseline levels in Figure 7b may represent difference between whole blood and PBMC expression. This may also reflect the use of frozen cells (3–5 months) or the blunting of the overall expression due to the 58% of patients being on disease modifying treatments, as interferon treatment reduces CB levels (Sanchez Lopez et al., 2014). In our study there is baseline variation in the levels of expression of these receptors, and some discrepancies between results at the mRNA and protein level; between results of whole blood testing versus PBMC; and between results using higher versus lower cytokine concentrations. Regulation of expression at the protein and mRNA level can differ, in particular for cytokines, through post-translational or mRNA stability changes (e.g Kazanecki et al., 2007). Nevertheless, the tendency towards an increase in CB expression by cytokines and an increase in MS compared to controls were reasonably consistent at the mRNA, protein, and signalling level. The responses of immune cells of MS patients to inflammatory cytokines, while in some instances more vigorous than those of controls, tend to be similar. This was also observed in immune cell subsets of a separate set of MS patients versus controls (n=5 and 3 respectively) (data not shown); however, the small sample size precludes definitive conclusions.

Up-regulation of CB in MS is associated with a simultaneous up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in immune cells as previously demonstrated in MS mouse models (Loría et al., 2008, Maresz et al., 2005). Our current findings are consistent with previous reports demonstrating that pro-inflammatory cytokines are up-regulated in MS patients (Filion et al., 2003, Kahl et al., 2002).

We recognise that the association of the up-regulation of CB1 and CB2 to that of cytokines in MS does not imply causation, in particular since concentration of cytokines likely to be found in body fluids in MS were less potent than the doses used in vitro on control cells in the first part of the study. The increased expression of CB1 and CB2 in MS may be in part mediated by individual pro-inflammatory cytokines or their combined effect. In addition, other factors in the MS blood or inflammatory/neurodegenerative microenvironment may also contribute to CB up-regulation, as a more general damage signal. Endocannabinoids themselves can up-regulate their own receptors. We have previously demonstrated up-regulation of endocannabinoid levels in blood (Jean-Gilles et al., 2009), which can contribute to CB1 and CB2 up-regulation.

This study is among the first thorough investigations of cannabinoid receptor regulation by prototypical, antigen presenting cell derived pro-inflammatory cytokines in humans and of their expression in MS blood. Further investigations are required in order to better understand the mechanisms entailed in CB1 and CB2 receptor regulation by cytokines, including studies to determine whether there is a direct transcriptional effect of these cytokines on the CB receptor genes as shown for transcriptional control of the CB1 gene by IL-4 (Borner et al., 2008). Further investigations in MS patients, in different phases of MS with different levels of disease activity and under different treatments, will also be important. Very recently it was shown that untreated MS patients have increased gene expression levels of cannabinoid receptors in different types of immune cells, and those levels decrease significantly over the course of one year of interferon beta (IFN-β) treatment (Sanchez Lopez et al., 2014). This observation is consistent with our findings, given the suppressive effect of IFN-β on proinflammatory cytokines.

There may be potential limitations of our study. The specificity of CB1 and CB2 antibodies used in the first part of the study has been subject to some debate, in part explaining some of the discrepancies found in the literature (Grimsey et al., 2008). However, well-conducted human studies have detected bands of the same size as in our Western blots, notably de Jesus and colleagues (De Jesus et al., 2006), who detected pronounced bands of 60 KDa and 37 KDa ascribed to CB1 (the latter potentially representing a result of deglycosylation or proteolysis of the latter); these bands were confirmed in other studies, e.g. Xu et al (Xu et al., 2005). For CB2, a 60 KDa band has also been confirmed, for example by Nunez and colleagues (Nunez et al., 2004). In addition, in preliminary studies, we significant suppression of both CB1 and CB2 positivity by an average of 74% after blocking with recombinant CB1 and CB2 (data not shown). This indicates that the antibodies used here were specific. It must be noted that densitometry on Western blots done with HRP reaction, while not fully quantitative, allows for comparisons within experiments.

The lower cytokine concentrations were less potent than the high concentrations used initially. We need to take into account the fact that the in vivo inflammatory environment is much more complex and combination of lower concentrations may have similar effects to individual higher concentrations in vitro. For example, cytokines are known to influence the expression of one another and a multitude of other immune factors could further modulate the expression levels of cytokines or cannabinoid receptors. This is in part the reason we included experiments on whole blood in this study, to reproduce better the in vivo conditions and to minimise alterations that may result from cell separation. Indeed there were differences between whole blood and PBMC results, which can be explained by the different microenvironment. Thus, caveats of translating in vitro results to the complex in vivo context must be taken into consideration.

There may be multiple functional implications of the CB regulation by inflammatory cytokines in particular TNF-α, but also IL-6 and IL-1. As well as cannabinoids themselves, these cytokines have both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties, depending on a variety of factors including concentration, microenvironment, timing of appearance and clearance. TNF-α has both neuroprotective and neurodegenerative effects. Such dual effects are also thought to exist in CB signalling. Interesting data show a high level of co-regulation between TNF-α and cannabinoid receptors in the CNS, in the process of neural stem cell migration. TNF-α provides a crucial signal for stem cell migration, and this signal appears to be dependent on CB1/CB2 signalling (Rubio-Araiz et al., 2008). Our data provide a plausible mechanistic explanation for this important biological phenomenon, whereby TNF-α induces the required CB1 and CB2 expression.

Previous studies have shown analgesic effects of CB agonists in neuropathic, but not normal, rats (Sagar et al., 2005). Up-regulated CB1 expression in these animals contributes to increased analgesic efficacy of cannabinoids (Siegling et al., 2001). Moreover, CB2 mediated control of neuropathic pain in mice is IFN-γ dependent (Racz et al., 2008). Also, it has been shown that expression of endocannabinoid ligands is increased in a viral model of MS and inflammatory lesions of patients with MS (Eljaschewitsch et al., 2006, Loría et al., 2008) and in plasma of patients with different types of MS (Jean-Gilles et al., 2009). Such studies may help to elucidate cannabinoid mechanisms involved in controlling MS symptoms such as spasticity, overactive bladder and pain. In addition, polymorphisms in the CB genes have been associated both with MS subtypes and with surface CB expression (Ramil et al., 2010, Woolmore et al., 2008, Rossi et al., 2013). This may explain the heterogeneity at baseline and upon stimulation in our study. Future studies may determine which MS patients are most likely to show benefit from modulation of the cannabinoid system. If the regulation of cannabinoid receptors in CNS cells and immune cells is similar our results could contribute to the future studies of cannabinoid neuroprotective mechanisms and possibly future treatment of inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the MS Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and by the University of Nottingham Neuroscience at Nottingham, N@N). LJE was supported by a Patrick Berthoud Fellowship. RT was supported by a Visiting Fellowship to University of Nottingham from the European Neurological Society.

Footnotes

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflict of interests.

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