The Anticancer Activity of Cannabinol (CBN) and Cannabigerol (CBG) on Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Several cannabis plant-derived compounds, especially cannabinoids, exhibit therapeutic potential in numerous diseases and conditions. In particular, THC and CBD impart palliative, antiemetic, as well as anticancer effects. The antitumor effects include inhibition of cancerous cell growth and metastasis and induction of cell death, all mediated by cannabinoid interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). However, the exact molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. In addition, their effects on leukemia have scarcely been investigated. The current work aimed to assess the antileukemic effects of CBN and CBG on an acute monocytic leukemia cell line, the THP-1. THP-1 cell viability, morphology and cell cycle analyses were performed to determine potential cytotoxic, antiproliferative, and apoptotic effects of CBN and CBG. Western blotting was carried out to measure the expression of the proapoptotic p53. Both CBN and CBG inhibited cell growth and induced THP-1 cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CBN and CBG illustrated different dosage effects on THP-1 cells in the MTT assay (CBN > 40 μΜ, CBG > 1 μM) and flow cytometry (CBN > 5 μM, CBG > 40 μM), highlighting the cannabinoids’ antileukemic activity. Our study hints at a direct correlation between p53 expression and CBG or CBN doses exceeding 50 μM, suggesting potential activation of p53-associated signaling pathways underlying these effects. Taken together, CBG and CBN exhibited suppressive, cell death-inducing effects on leukemia cells. However, further in-depth research will be needed to explore the molecular mechanisms driving the anticancer effects of CBN and CBG in the leukemia setting.