Poster #011
Effects of Prenatal CBD Exposure on Cortical Cell Diversity
Mentors: Dr. Tanzila Mukhtar, PhD (Postdoc Mentor), Dr. Arnold Kriegstein, MD. PhD (PI)
The increasing normalization of cannabis use has led to a rise in consumption among pregnant women, raising concerns about its potential impact on brain development. Prenatal cannabis exposure has been linked to a higher risk of neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders in offspring, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, on neural cell populations within the developing human cortex. We utilized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cortical organoids from three lines (H1, 1323-4, WTC-11) to model early brain development. Organoids were treated with CBD at differentiation week 10 for three days, then fixed, cryopreserved, and sectioned. Using immunohistochemistry, we assessed protein expression of lineage-specific markers, including SOX2, HOPX, KI67, NEUN, CTIP2, and SATB2. Preliminary analyses indicate significant CBD-induced alterations in neural progenitor and neuronal subpopulations, suggesting potential disruptions in cortical development.