Study Finds CBD May Strengthen Effects of Breast Cancer Drug
- The study published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry found that cannabidiol (CBD) may enhance the anticancer effects of the drug olaparib in certain breast cancer models, especially triple-negative breast cancer.
- Researchers tested the combination of CBD and olaparib on various breast cancer cell models, including MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative), MCF-7 (estrogen receptor-positive), and HCC-70 (triple-negative spheroids), focusing on BRCA-wild type cells where olaparib alone is less effective.
- The combination treatment showed a stronger reduction in cancer cell viability, increased apoptosis, and caused G2/M cell cycle arrest in some models, particularly in triple-negative spheroid models, while also reducing expression of key DNA repair and cell cycle genes.
- The effects were less favorable in MCF-7 cells, indicating that the interaction between CBD and olaparib may depend on the specific breast cancer subtype; further in vivo and mechanistic studies are needed before clinical application.
A new study published by Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry found that cannabidiol (CBD) may enhance the effects of the cancer drug olaparib in certain breast cancer models, particularly triple-negative breast cancer.
Researchers from Yeditepe University examined whether CBD could improve the response of BRCA-wild type breast cancer cells to olaparib, a PARP inhibitor commonly used in cancers with BRCA mutations. Because olaparib is often less effective in BRCA-wild type tumors, the study focused on whether CBD could increase its anticancer activity.
The research evaluated olaparib and CBD alone and in combination using multiple breast cancer cell models, including MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells, MCF-7 estrogen receptor-positive cells, and HCC-70 triple-negative breast cancer spheroids.
The study found that the combination of CBD and olaparib reduced cancer cell viability more than either treatment alone in several models, with the strongest responses seen in three-dimensional spheroid models. In MDA-MB-231 cells, the combination produced a modest synergistic effect, increased apoptosis and led to G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. The combination also reduced the expression of several genes tied to DNA repair and cell cycle progression, including ATM, ATR, BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD51 and multiple CDK genes.
The findings were less consistent in MCF-7 cells, where researchers observed an antagonistic interaction and a weaker apoptotic response, highlighting that the effects may depend heavily on cancer subtype and molecular background.
Researchers concluded that CBD may increase the responsiveness of some BRCA-wild type breast cancer cells to PARP inhibition, though they noted the findings are limited to laboratory models and require additional mechanistic and in vivo research before any clinical conclusions can be made.