Effect of combined treatment with R-(+)-methanandamide and chemotherapeutic drugs in mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia : MCL

Abstract: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma with very bad prognosis. The genetic hallmark of MCL, is the translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32) which leads to overexpression of cyclin D1, a D-type cyclin that is not usually expressed at high levels in normal B lymphocytes.   Previous studies indicate that cannabinoid receptors are expressed in lymphoma and have shown that lymphoma cell death is induced as a result of exposure to cannabinoids (ligands).   The aim of this diploma work was to combined cytostatics with the cannabinoid receptor ligand R (+)-Methanandmide (R-MA). Our data suggest that combination treatment with cytostatics and R-MA induces synergistic effects in most cases.