Inhalant cannabidiol impedes tumor growth through decreased tumor stemness and impaired angiogenic switch in NCI-H1437-induced human lung cancer model

Évila Lopes Salles, Sahar Emami Naeini, Hesam Khodadadi, Bidhan Bhandari, Sholeh Rezaee, Edie Threlkeld, Hannah M. Rogers, Vincenzo Costigliola, Alvin V. Terry, David C. Hess, Sumitra Deb, Swati Palit Deb, W. Andrew Yeudall, Jack C. Yu, Lei P. Wang, Babak Baban

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Lung cancer remains the most chronic form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Despite significant improvements in the treatment of lung cancer, the current therapeutic interventions are only partially effective, necessitating the continued search for better, novel alternative treatments. Angiogenesis and cancer stem cells play a central role in the initiation and propagation of cancers. Tumor angiogenesis is triggered by an angiogenic switch when pro-angiogenic factors exceed anti-angiogenic components. Although many anti-angiogenic agents are used in cancer treatment, there are therapeutic limitations with significant side effects. In recent years, cannabinoids have been investigated extensively for their potential anti-neoplastic effects. Our previous findings showed that cannabidiol (CBD) could impede tumor growth in mouse models of melanoma and glioblastoma. Importantly, CBD has been suggested to possess anti-angiogenic activity. In this study, we tested, for the first time, inhalant CBD in the treatment of heterotopic lung cancer and whether such potential effects could reduce cancer stem cell numbers and inhibit tumor angiogenesis. We implanted NCI H1437 human lung cancer cells in nude mice and treated the mice with inhalant CBD or placebo. The outcomes were measured by tumor size and imaging, as well as by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometric analysis for CD44, VEGF, and P-selectin. Our findings showed that CBD decreased tumor growth rate and suppressed expression of CD44 and the angiogenic factors VEGF and P-selectin. These results suggest, for the first time, that inhalant CBD can impede lung cancer growth by suppressing CD44 and angiogenesis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1204-1210
Number of pages7
JournalHuman Cell
Volume36
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2023

Keywords

  • Angiogenesis
  • Angiogenic switch
  • CBD
  • Cannabidiol
  • Lung cancer

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

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