Cannabinoid receptor activation inhibits cell cycle progression by modulating 14-3-3β

Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2014 Sep;19(3):347-60. doi: 10.2478/s11658-014-0200-x. Epub 2014 Jul 7.

Abstract

Cannabinoids display various pharmacological activities, including tumor regression, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effects of cannabinoids, we used a yeast two-hybrid system to screen a mouse brain cDNA library for proteins interacting with type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R). Using the intracellular loop 3 of CB1R as bait, we identified 14-3-3β as an interacting partner of CB1R and confirmed their interaction using affinity-binding assays. 14-3-3β has been reported to induce a cell cycle delay at the G2/M phase. We tested the effects of cannabinoids on cell cycle progression in HeLa cells synchronized using a double-thymidine block-and-release protocol and found an increase in the population of G2/M phase cells. We further found that CB1R activation augmented the interaction of 14-3-3β with Wee1 and Cdc25B, and promoted phosphorylation of Cdc2 at Tyr-15. These results suggest that cannabinoids induce cell cycle delay at the G2/M phase by activating 14-3-3β.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 14-3-3 Proteins / genetics
  • 14-3-3 Proteins / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cannabinoids / pharmacology
  • Cell Cycle / genetics
  • Cell Cycle / physiology*
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cell Division / genetics
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • G2 Phase / drug effects
  • G2 Phase / genetics
  • G2 Phase / physiology
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / physiology
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Mice
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / genetics
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques

Substances

  • 14-3-3 Proteins
  • Cannabinoids
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1