Novel mechanism of cannabidiol-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines

Breast. 2018 Oct:41:34-41. doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2018.06.009. Epub 2018 Jun 22.

Abstract

Studies have emphasized an antineoplastic effect of the non-psychoactive, phyto-cannabinoid, Cannabidiol (CBD). However, the molecular mechanism underlying its antitumor activity is not fully elucidated. Herein, we have examined the effect of CBD on two different human breast cancer cell lines: the ER-positive, well differentiated, T-47D and the triple negative, poor differentiated, MDA-MB-231 cells. In both cell lines, CBD inhibited cell survival and induced apoptosis in a dose dependent manner as observed by MTT assay, morphological changes, DNA fragmentation and ELISA apoptosis assay. CBD-induced apoptosis was accompanied by down-regulation of mTOR, cyclin D1 and up-regulation and localization of PPARγ protein expression in the nuclei and cytoplasmic of the tested cells. The results suggest that CBD treatment induces an interplay among PPARγ, mTOR and cyclin D1 in favor of apoptosis induction in both ER-positive and triple negative breast cancer cells, proposing CBD as a useful treatment for different breast cancer subtypes.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Breast cancer; Cannabidiol; Cyclin D1 and PPARγ; mTOR.

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cannabidiol / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • DNA Fragmentation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Cannabidiol