Page 16 - CSHS 2022 Book of Abstracts - 2022-08-22 web version

CSHS 2022 Conference

(CO.7) Cannabis Breeding Technologies: Polyploidy and Alternatives to Silver-Based Pollen
Feminization
Austin J. Baiton , Steve Dinka , Scott Golem , A.M.P. Jones
2
1*
1
2
1. Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON; 2. Hexo Corporation, Gatineau, QC
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While Cannabis sativa L. has been extensively bred, the majority of this occurred underground in secretive and
unregulated settings. As a result, there is significant room to develop sustainable new breeding technologies to
develop novel genetics with improved agronomic characteristics. Feminized seed production currently uses silver-
based chemicals to inhibit the ethylene response, resulting in genetically female stamen on pistillate individuals.
Silver-based chemicals are effective, but silver is a significant environmental concern and commercial scale
feminized seed production poses significant risks to ecosystems. Plants treated with the food grade gaseous
ethylene inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), resulted in the production of stamen on pistillate individuals.
Plants treated with 1-MCP resulted in normal release of pollen from anthers. However, pollen from the MCP-treated
plants did not germinate in an in-vitro assay while pollen from the STS treatment results did, suggesting that higher
doses or longer treatments may be needed. Polyploidy in hemp type cannabis can result in unique phenotypes in
comparison to homologous diploids. Previous studies report increased yield and seedless triploids, which both have
major commercial potential, especially for outdoor production and needs to be tested in drug type cannabis. Initial
trials found phenotypic differences between diploid and tetraploid cannabis including decreased stomate density,
increased leaf width, decreased flowering time and increased hermaphroditism. Ongoing trials are comparing the
performance of diploid, tetraploid, and triploid plants in drug type cannabis. Together, these studies show the
potential for applying modern approaches to reduce the environmental risk and improve genetic gains in drug type
cannabis.

(CO.8) Anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis extracts
Bo Wang, Dong-Ping Li, Olga Kovalchuk, Igor Kovalchuk*
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB
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In the past, we have generated over 1,000 Cannabis sativa hybrids and tested the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory
properties of over 500 of them. We used over a dozen of cancer cell lines, including breast, colon, skin, lung, liver and
brain cancers – approximately ~60 extracts were effective against at least one cancer cell line. For inflammation, we
have tested skin, intestine and lung cell lines as well as human 3D tissues; we induced inflammation through UV,
lipopolysaccharide or TNF/IFN exposure. We identified approximately 20 extracts with anti-inflammatory potential.
We have profiled the extracts and correlated the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties with the presence of
cannabinoids and terpenes. Correlation was found primarily for terpenes, rather than cannabinoids. We then
continued our work analyzing the effects of cannabinoids on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which enters target cells via
interactions with ACE2 and TMPRSS2. CBD alone and several extracts downregulated ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in lung
fibroblast WI-38 cells through AKT-mediated inhibition. miR-200c-3p and let-7a-5p were two contributing miRNAs
in CBD-mediated suppression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. CBD and a specific terpene, abbreviated PTWT2.2, profoundly
inhibited ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression, both individually and in combination. Several extracts suppressed COX2
expression and remarkably attenuated TNFα/IFNγ-triggered induction of proinflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8 by
AKT pathway. The most abundant molecules present in several extracts modulated the expression of COX2, IL-6, and
IL-8 both individually and in combination. These results demonstrated that cannabis extracts and individual
molecules in the extracts have strong anti-inflammatory capacity.

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