The role of cannabinoid receptors and the endocannabinoid system in mantle cell lymphoma and other non-Hodgkin lymphomas

The initiating oncogenic event in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is the translocation of cyclin D1, t(11;14)(q13;q32). However, other genetic aberrations are necessary for an overt lymphoma to arise. Like other B cell lymphomas, MCL at some points during the oncogenesis is dependent on interactions with other cells and factors in the microenvironment. The G protein coupled receptors cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2) are expressed at low levels on non-malignant lymphocytes and at higher levels in MCL and other lymphoma subtypes. In this review we give an overview of what is known on the role of the cannabinoid receptors and their ligands in lymphoma as compared to non-malignant T and B lymphocytes. In MCL cannabinoids mainly reduce cell proliferation and induce cell death. Importantly, our recent findings demonstrate that cannabinoids may induce either apoptosis or another type of programmed cell death, cytoplasmic vacuolation/paraptosis in MCL. The signalling to death has been partly characterized. Even though cannabinoid receptors seem to be expressed in many other types of B cell lymphoma, the functional role of cannabinoid receptor targeting is yet largely unknown. In non-malignant B and T lymphocytes, cannabinoid receptors are up-regulated in response to antigen receptor signalling or CD40. For T lymphocytes IL-4 has also a crucial role in transcriptional regulation of CB1. In lymphocytes, cannabinoid act in several ways – by affecting cell migration, cytokine response, at high doses inhibit cell proliferation and inducing cell death. The possible role for the endocannabinoid system in the immune microenvironment of lymphoma is discussed.