cannabidiol and Thymus-Neoplasms

It has been shown that leukemia and glioma cells are sensitive to cannabidiol (CBD)-induced apoptosis, whereas primary monocytes and glia cells are relatively insensitive. In the current study, the cellular events and sensitivity to CBD-induced apoptosis between murine thymocytes and EL-4 thymoma cells were compared. Cannabidiol markedly induced apoptosis in a time- and concentration-related manner in both cells. The efficacy of CBD to induce apoptosis was comparable between the 2 types of T cells, whereas CBD induced apoptosis in thymocytes with a slightly greater potency than in EL4 cells. Time-course analyses revealed CBD-mediated apoptosis occurred earlier in EL-4 cells than that in thymocytes. An increased level of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected in both cells with the peak response at 2 h post CBD treatment. Concordantly, CBD triggered a gradual diminishment in the cellular thiols. The presence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a precursor of glutathione, markedly attenuated the induction of apoptosis, and restored the diminished levels of cellular thiols. The results demonstrated that both thymocytes and EL-4 thymoma cells were susceptible to CBD-induced apoptosis and that ROS played a critical role in the apoptosis induction.

Topics: Acetylcysteine; Animals; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Cannabidiol; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Flow Cytometry; Fluorescent Dyes; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sulfhydryl Compounds; T-Lymphocytes; Thymoma; Thymus Neoplasms