title: A comparative study on cannabidiol-induced apoptosis in murine thymocytes and EL-4 thymoma cells.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Ya
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shiaw-Pyng
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wey
authors.forename: Mei-Hsiu
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Wei-Lun
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hsin-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tong-Rong
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Jan
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013945:Thymoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D002185:Cannabidiol; D000111:Acetylcysteine