Sphingolipids and Lymphomas: A Double-Edged Sword

Lymphomas are a highly heterogeneous group of hematological neoplasms. Given their ethiopathogenic complexity, their classification and management can become difficult tasks; therefore, new approaches are continuously being sought. Metabolic reprogramming at the lipid level is a hot topic in cancer research, and sphingolipidomics has gained particular focus in this area due to the bioactive nature of molecules such as sphingoid bases, sphingosine-1-phosphate, ceramides, sphingomyelin, cerebrosides, globosides, and gangliosides. Sphingolipid metabolism has become especially exciting because they are involved in virtually every cellular process through an extremely intricate metabolic web; in fact, no two sphingolipids share the same fate. Unsurprisingly, a disruption at this level is a recurrent mechanism in lymphomagenesis, dissemination, and chemoresistance, which means potential biomarkers and therapeutical targets might be hiding within these pathways. Many comprehensive reviews describing their role in cancer exist, but because most research has been conducted in solid malignancies, evidence in lymphomagenesis is somewhat limited. In this review, we summarize key aspects of sphingolipid biochemistry and discuss their known impact in cancer biology, with a particular focus on lymphomas and possible therapeutical strategies against them.

Cytotoxic Activity of a Black Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Extract and its Flavonoid Fraction in Both In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Lymphoma

Background

Black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a very common legume seed in Mexican diet. Flavonoids and crude extracts from different plants have been reported as effective agents for chemoprevention and cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines. We investigated the effects of black bean hulls extract (BBE) and its flavonoid fraction (FF) on lymphoma cells.

Methods

BBE and FF were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography. Viability and flow cytometry assays were carried out. Finally, a mouse model was generated to test the in vivo effect of both fractions.

Results

Both BBE and FF inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent way. In addition, cells underwent apoptosis, and the cellular population at S-phase increased after exposure to these fractions. Furthermore, mice treated with BBE or FF increased the overall survival by 5 or 6 days, respectively, in comparison with a placebo group (p = 0.056).

Discussion

BBE and FF had cytotoxic action by driving OCI-Ly7 cells into apoptosis as well as blocking progression to G2/M phase. In addition, BBE and FF treatments were effective in xenograft models.