title: The endogenous cannabinoid anandamide inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation.
abstract: Anandamide was the first brain metabolite shown to act as a ligand of "central" CB1 cannabinoid receptors. Here we report that the endogenous cannabinoid potently and selectively inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cells in vitro. Anandamide dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 and EFM-19 cells with IC50 values between 0.5 and 1.5 microM and 83-92% maximal inhibition at 5-10 microM. The proliferation of several other nonmammary tumoral cell lines was not affected by 10 microM anandamide. The anti-proliferative effect of anandamide was not due to toxicity or to apoptosis of cells but was accompanied by a reduction of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle. A stable analogue of anandamide (R)-methanandamide, another endogenous cannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, and the synthetic cannabinoid HU-210 also inhibited EFM-19 cell proliferation, whereas arachidonic acid was much less effective. These cannabimimetic substances displaced the binding of the selective cannabinoid agonist [3H]CP 55, 940 to EFM-19 membranes with an order of potency identical to that observed for the inhibition of EFM-19 cell proliferation. Moreover, anandamide cytostatic effect was inhibited by the selective CB1 receptor antagonist SR 141716A. Cell proliferation was arrested by a prolactin mAb and enhanced by exogenous human prolactin, whose mitogenic action was reverted by very low (0.1-0.5 microM) doses of anandamide. Anandamide suppressed the levels of the long form of the prolactin receptor in both EFM-19 and MCF-7 cells, as well as a typical prolactin-induced response, i.e., the expression of the breast cancer cell susceptibility gene brca1. These data suggest that anandamide blocks human breast cancer cell proliferation through CB1-like receptor-mediated inhibition of endogenous prolactin action at the level of prolactin receptor.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Cibernetica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Toiano 6, 80072 Arco Felice, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Petrocellis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bisogno
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laezza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bifulco
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Marzo
mesh_terms: D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000819:agonists; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug; C078814:anandamide