RPMI-1788

BCP Reduces Cancer Cells Viability

Cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2Rs) belong to the G protein-coupled receptor family and are mainly expressed in hematopoietic and immune cells, such as B-cells, T-cells, and macrophages; thus, CB2R activation might be useful for treating cancers affecting plasma cells, such as multiple myeloma (MM). Previous studies have shown that CB2R stimulation may have anti-proliferative effects; therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore the antitumor effect of beta-caryophyllene (BCP), a CB2R agonist, in an in vitro model of MM.

Cell viability was evaluated by incubating MM.1S, MM.1R, and RPMI 1788 cell lines with increasing concentrations of BCP, ranging from 6.25 μM to 200 μM. The results of the MTT assay showed that BCP had a selective antiproliferative effect on MM cells (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Cell viability evaluated in MM.1R, MM.1S, and RPMI 1788 cell lines (Mannino, Federica, et al. 2021).

In addition, a trypan blue assay was performed to confirm the selective antiproliferative effect of BCP on the MM.1S and MM.1R cell lines. The RPMI 1788 cell line, used as normal cells, was treated with BCP at concentrations of 50 and 100 μM for 24 h, thus demonstrating that BCP did not affect the proliferation of normal cells (Fig. 2) and confirming the MTT results and BCP-selective effect in the MM cell lines.

Fig. 2. The figure represents the trypan blue staining in RPMI 1788 cells treated with BCP (Mannino, Federica, et al. 2021).

Aronia melanocarpa Flavonol Extracts' Effect on Lymphoblast Normal Cells

In order to assess the toxicity of the extract and black chokeberry flavonol extract, the researches investigated the cytotoxicity using a human lymphoblastic RPMI-1788 cell line (Fig. 3).

Analysis of the number of viable cells in each sample showed that incubating cells with Aronia ethanol extract at relatively low concentrations in combination with cyclophosphamide (1.25 mg/mL) caused a significant cytotoxic effect on normal human cells for 24 h in the culture medium. At 0.25 mg/mL and lower concentrations, the Aronia flavonol fraction had a protective effect on the viability of the lymphoblast cells under the stress induced by cyclophosphamide.

Fig. 3. Influences of the analyzed substances on the viability of RPMI-1788 cells (Bushmeleva, Kseniya, et al. 2023).