KY Hemp‐induced Modulation of Ovarian Cancer Cell Metastasis
Authors: Biela Sara , Wang Annie , Sumanasekera Wasana K. 
Published: June 2021

Our laboratory is interested in searching for a new plant‐based therapeutics to treat ovarian cancer. We are interested in studying anti‐cancer effects of KY grown hemp as a potential candidate drug. Marijuana and hemp belong to the same genus and species. However, they are different in cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. While both CBD and THC are therapeutically beneficial, THC consumption leads to dependence forming habits. In contrast, hemp is harmless and non‐addictive. Major objective of this study is to investigate whether KY hemp extract can modulate the metastasis of ovarian cancer. Cell migration and invasion are two important indicators of cancer metastasis. Although CBD and THC‐induced attenuation of cancer cell migration and invasion have been reported in several cell lines including cervical cancer and breast cancer cells, KY hemp extract‐induced anti‐cancer effects are yet to be discovered. We are the first to investigate KY hemp‐induced modulation of ovarian cancer cell (OCC) metastasis.MethodsBased on the manufacturer's protocol cell migration and invasion assays were conducted using CytoSelect 96‐well cell migration and invasion assay kits (Cell Biolabs). Migration and Invasion assays were based on distinguishing migratory and invasive cells from non‐migratory and non‐invasive cells. Migratory cells should be able to move towards the chemoattractant. Invasive cells needed to degrade the proteins in the dried basement membrane matrix, which is coated in the upper surface of the insert membrane. Two different epithelial OCCs, which are A2780 and Mes‐OV, were utilized in this study. Following overnight serum starvation, OCCs were lifted using Trypsin‐EDTA, and a cell suspension containing 80,000 cells per well were placed in the upper chamber of either the cell migration or the cell invasion plate. Added to the respective cell suspensions were positive controls (80 μM Doxorubicin and Cisplatin), the no hemp negative control (vehicle treated), and different concentrations of KY hemp extracts that contain 8.5–335 μM CBD. Fetal bovine serum (15%) was added to the bottom chamber of each well as the chemoattractant. After 24 hour incubation, migratory and invasive cells were detached from the opposite side of the membrane (the side facing the bottom chamber), lysed, tagged with CyQuant fluorescent dye, and quantified spectrophotometrically. Our results indicate that KY hemp extract will attenuate OCC migration in a dose dependent manner in both cell lines. In A2780 OCCs, this attenuation was significant at all concentrations tested. A2780 cells treated with 12–15 μg/ml hemp extract that contain 2.5–3.2 μM CBD, caused decrease in cell migration comparable to Cisplatin. Based on the data here we conclude that KY hemp has significant anti‐metastatic properties against ovarian cancer.Support or Funding InformationFunding was provided by Sullivan University System via a faculty development grant awarded to Dr. Sumanasekera. Grant Number: RG_1_PS_2017_04This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.