Cannabinoid receptor ligands mediate growth inhibition and cell death in mantle cell lymphoma
Volume 579, Issue 30, 19 December 2005, Pages 6885-6889
Copyright © 2005 Federation of European Biochemical Societies Published by Elsevier B.V.
Edited by Lukas Huber
Jenny Flygarea, Kristin Gustafssona, Eva Kimbyb, Birger Christenssona and Birgitta Sandera, 
, 
aDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, F-46, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
bDepartment of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
Received 7 September 2005; revised 4 October 2005; accepted 9 November 2005. Available online 29 November 2005.
Abstract
We have earlier reported overexpression of the central and peripheral cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In this study, treatment with cannabinoid receptor ligands caused a decrease in viability of MCL cells, while control cells lacking CB1 were not affected. Interestingly, equipotent doses of the CB1 antagonist SR141716A and the CB1/CB2 agonist anandamide inflicted additive negative effects on viability. Moreover, treatment with the CB1/CB2 agonist Win-55,212-2 caused a decrease in long-term growth of MCL cells in culture. Induction of apoptosis, as measured by FACS/Annexin V–FITC, contributed to the growth suppressive effect of Win-55,212-2. Our data suggest that cannabinoid receptors may be considered as potential therapeutic targets in MCL.