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Amengual-Cladera E, Morla-Barcelo PM, Morán-Costoya A, Sastre-Serra J, Pons DG, Valle A, Roca P, Nadal-Serrano M. Metformin: From Diabetes to Cancer-Unveiling Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:302. [PMID: 38785784 PMCID: PMC11117706 DOI: 10.3390/biology13050302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Metformin, a widely used anti-diabetic drug, has garnered attention for its potential in cancer management, particularly in breast and colorectal cancer. It is established that metformin reduces mitochondrial respiration, but its specific molecular targets within mitochondria vary. Proposed mechanisms include inhibiting mitochondrial respiratory chain Complex I and/or Complex IV, and mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, among others. These actions lead to cellular energy deficits, redox state changes, and several molecular changes that reduce hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients. Clinical evidence supports metformin's role in cancer prevention in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Moreover, in these patients with breast and colorectal cancer, metformin consumption leads to an improvement in survival outcomes and prognosis. The synergistic effects of metformin with chemotherapy and immunotherapy highlights its potential as an adjunctive therapy for breast and colorectal cancer. However, nuanced findings underscore the need for further research and stratification by molecular subtype, particularly for breast cancer. This comprehensive review integrates metformin-related findings from epidemiological, clinical, and preclinical studies in breast and colorectal cancer. Here, we discuss current research addressed to define metformin's bioavailability and efficacy, exploring novel metformin-based compounds and drug delivery systems, including derivatives targeting mitochondria, combination therapies, and novel nanoformulations, showing enhanced anticancer effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Amengual-Cladera
- Grupo Metabolismo Energético y Nutrición, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (E.A.-C.); (A.M.-C.); (A.V.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
| | - Pere Miquel Morla-Barcelo
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Andrea Morán-Costoya
- Grupo Metabolismo Energético y Nutrición, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (E.A.-C.); (A.M.-C.); (A.V.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
| | - Jorge Sastre-Serra
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn, CB06/03/0043), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Gabriel Pons
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Adamo Valle
- Grupo Metabolismo Energético y Nutrición, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (E.A.-C.); (A.M.-C.); (A.V.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn, CB06/03/0043), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Roca
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn, CB06/03/0043), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Nadal-Serrano
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain; (P.M.M.-B.); (J.S.-S.); (D.G.P.); (M.N.-S.)
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
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Zhang J, Hang C, Jiang T, Yi S, Shao W, Li W, Lin D. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-Based Metabolomic Analysis of the Anticancer Effect of Metformin Treatment on Cholangiocarcinoma Cells. Front Oncol 2020; 10:570516. [PMID: 33330044 PMCID: PMC7735195 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.570516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Metformin is a widely prescribed anti-diabetes drug with potential utilities for cancer therapies. Several studies have related metformin to the reduced risk of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), highlighting its potentialities for the treatments of CCA. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we demonstrated that metformin treatment could inhibit proliferations of the human CCA cell lines Mz-ChA-1 and QBC939 in dose-dependent manners. The NMR-based metabonomic analyses showed distinct discriminations between the metformin-treated (Met) and control (Ctrl) groups of both CCA cells. Characteristic metabolites were identified by a combination of multivariate statistical analysis of 1D 1H-NMR spectral data and the pair-wise t-test of metabolite levels. We then identified four significantly altered metabolic pathways based on the characteristic metabolites, including glucose metabolism, oxidative stress-related metabolism, energy metabolism, and amino acids metabolism. Comparing CCA cells with normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we found that metformin treatment profoundly promoted glycolysis and specifically increased the levels of BCAAs and UDP-GlcNAc, implying the occurrence of autophagy and cell cycle arrest in metformin-treated CAA cells. This work provides a mechanistic understanding of the anticancer effect of metformin treatment on CAA cells, and is beneficial to further developments of metformin as an anticancer drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Caihua Hang
- Department of Physical Education, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen, China
| | - Ting Jiang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shenghui Yi
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wei Shao
- Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Xiamen University, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wengang Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Donghai Lin
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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3
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Sciarretta S, Forte M, Castoldi F, Frati G, Versaci F, Sadoshima J, Kroemer G, Maiuri MC. Caloric restriction mimetics for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovasc Res 2020; 117:1434-1449. [PMID: 33098415 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Caloric restriction mimetics (CRMs) are emerging as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. CRMs include natural and synthetic compounds able to inhibit protein acetyltransferases, to interfere with acetyl coenzyme A biosynthesis, or to activate (de)acetyltransferase proteins. These modifications mimic the effects of caloric restriction, which is associated with the activation of autophagy. Previous evidence demonstrated the ability of CRMs to ameliorate cardiac function and reduce cardiac hypertrophy and maladaptive remodelling in animal models of ageing, mechanical overload, chronic myocardial ischaemia, and in genetic and metabolic cardiomyopathies. In addition, CRMs were found to reduce acute ischaemia-reperfusion injury. In many cases, these beneficial effects of CRMs appeared to be mediated by autophagy activation. In the present review, we discuss the relevant literature about the role of different CRMs in animal models of cardiac diseases, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of these compounds and their potential future clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiano Sciarretta
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 40100 Latina, Italy.,Department of AngioCardioNeurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | - Maurizio Forte
- Department of AngioCardioNeurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | - Francesca Castoldi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Team "Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity", INSERM UMRS1138, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, 75006 Paris, France.,Cell Biology and Metabolomics platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 40100 Latina, Italy.,Department of AngioCardioNeurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | - Francesco Versaci
- Division of Cardiology, S. Maria Goretti Hospital, 04100 Latina, Italy
| | - Junichi Sadoshima
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, G-609, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Team "Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity", INSERM UMRS1138, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, 75006 Paris, France.,Cell Biology and Metabolomics platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94805 Villejuif, France.,Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, 75015 Paris, France.,Suzhou Institute for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou Jiangsu 215163, China.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Chiara Maiuri
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Team "Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity", INSERM UMRS1138, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, 75006 Paris, France.,Cell Biology and Metabolomics platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94805 Villejuif, France
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4
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Zhao B, Luo J, Yu T, Zhou L, Lv H, Shang P. Anticancer mechanisms of metformin: A review of the current evidence. Life Sci 2020; 254:117717. [PMID: 32339541 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Metformin, a US Food and Drug Administration-approved "star" drug used for diabetes mellitus type 2, has become a topic of increasing interest to researchers due to its anti-neoplastic effects. Growing evidence has demonstrated that metformin may be a promising chemotherapeutic agent, and several clinical trials of metformin use in cancer treatment are ongoing. However, the anti-neoplastic effects of metformin and its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we present the newest findings on the anticancer activities of metformin, and highlight its diverse anticancer mechanisms. Several clinical trials, as well as the limitations of the current evidence are also demonstrated. This review explores the crucial roles of metformin and provides supporting evidence for the repurposing of metformin as a treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhao
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China; Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environmental Biophysics, School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Jie Luo
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China; Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environmental Biophysics, School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Tongyao Yu
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China; Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environmental Biophysics, School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Liangfu Zhou
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China; Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environmental Biophysics, School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Huanhuan Lv
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China; Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environmental Biophysics, School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Peng Shang
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environmental Biophysics, School of Life Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China.
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5
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Smith RE. The Effects of Dietary Supplements that Overactivate the Nrf2/ARE System. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:2077-2094. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190517113533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background:
Inflammation is one of the most misunderstood aspects of human
health. People have been encouraged to eat foods that have a high antioxidant capacity, and in
vitro tests for total antioxidant capacity emerged. They were based on measuring the destruction
of oxidized test compounds in direct reactions with the antioxidants in foods. Many dietary
supplements arrived in the market. They contained purified antioxidants, such as resveratrol
and EGCG that were and still are widely assumed by many to be quite healthy at any
dose.
Methods:
The literature on inflammation and the Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system was searched
systematically. Articles from prestigious, peer-reviewed journals were obtained and read. The
information obtained from them was used to write this review article.
Results:
Over 150 articles and books were read. The information obtained from them showed
that very few dietary antioxidants exert their effects by reacting directly with Reactive Oxygen
and Nitrogen Species (RONS). Instead, most of the effective antioxidants activate the endogenous
Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system. This helps prevent smoldering inflammation and the
diseases that it can cause. However, when overactivated or activated constitutively, the
Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system can cause some of these diseases, including many types of
multidrug resistant cancer, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion:
Even though green tea, as well as many fruits, vegetables and spices are quite
healthy, dietary supplements that deliver much higher doses of antioxidants may not be. People
who are diagnosed with cancer and plan to start chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy should
probably avoid such supplements. This is because multidrug resistant tumors can hijack and
overactivate the Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system.
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Verdura S, Cuyàs E, Martin-Castillo B, Menendez JA. Metformin as an archetype immuno-metabolic adjuvant for cancer immunotherapy. Oncoimmunology 2019; 8:e1633235. [PMID: 31646077 PMCID: PMC6791450 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1633235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of a single immuno-metabolic adjuvant capable of modulating, in the appropriate direction and intensity, the complex antagonistic and symbiotic interplays between tumor cells, immune cells, and the gut microbiota may appear pharmacologically implausible. Metformin might help solve this conundrum and beneficially impact the state of cancer-immune system interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Verdura
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Cuyàs
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | | | - Javier A Menendez
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
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7
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Faria J, Negalha G, Azevedo A, Martel F. Metformin and Breast Cancer: Molecular Targets. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2019; 24:111-123. [PMID: 30903363 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-019-09429-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Metformin has been the first-line drug for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus for decades, being presently the most widely prescribed antihyperglycemic drug. Retrospective studies associate the use of metformin with a reduction in cancer incidence and cancer-related death. However, despite extensive research about the molecular effects of metformin in cancer cells, its mode of action remains controversial. The major molecular targets of metformin include complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), but AMPK-independent effects of metformin have also been described. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Several studies have reinforced a link between breast cancer risk and diabetes. Moreover, metformin significantly reduces breast cancer risk, compared to patients who are not using metformin and is independent of diabetes status. In this review, we summarize the current molecular evidence to elucidate metformin's mode of action against breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Faria
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - G Negalha
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - A Azevedo
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - F Martel
- Unit of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- I3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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8
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Sabit H, Abdel-Ghany SE, M Said OA, Mostafa MA, El-Zawahry M. Metformin Reshapes the Methylation Profile in Breast and Colorectal Cancer Cells. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2018; 19:2991-2999. [PMID: 30371994 PMCID: PMC6291041 DOI: 10.22034/apjcp.2018.19.10.2991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
With no sharp cure, breast cancer still be the major and the most serious life-threatening disease worldwide. Colorectal is the third most commonly occurring cancer in men and the second most commonly occurring cancer in women. In the present investigation, colon cancer cells (CaCo-2) and breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were treated with elevated doses of metformin (MET) for 48h. Cell count was assessed using trypan blue test, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay. Methylation-specific PCR was performed on the bisulfite-treated DNA against two tumor suppressor genes; RASSF1A and RB. Results indicated that: in breast cancer, the cell count was decreased significantly (P>0.005) after being treated with 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mM of MET. The elevated concentration had increased reduction percentages on the MCF-7 cells, as 5 mM and 100 mM have yielded 35% and 93.3% reduction in cell viability, respectively. Colon cancer cells have responded to the doses of MET differently, as for the 5 mM and the 100 mM, it gave 88% and 60% reduction in cells viability, respectively. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that 5 mM and 100 mM of MET caused breast cancer cells to loss 61.53% and 85.16% of its viability, respectively, whereas colon cancer cells have responded to the 5 mM and 100 mM of MET by reducing the cells viability with 96.91% and 96.24%, respectively. No RB promoter methylation was detected in colon cells, while RASSF1A was partially methylated. In the MCF-7 breast cancer cells, both RASSF1A and RB were partially methylated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Sabit
- Department of Genetics, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P. O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441 Saudi Arabia.
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9
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Gongol B, Sari I, Bryant T, Rosete G, Marin T. AMPK: An Epigenetic Landscape Modulator. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19103238. [PMID: 30347687 PMCID: PMC6214086 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Activated by AMP-dependent and -independent mechanisms, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a central role in the regulation of cellular bioenergetics and cellular survival. AMPK regulates a diverse set of signaling networks that converge to epigenetically mediate transcriptional events. Reversible histone and DNA modifications, such as acetylation and methylation, result in structural chromatin alterations that influence transcriptional machinery access to genomic regulatory elements. The orchestration of these epigenetic events differentiates physiological from pathophysiological phenotypes. AMPK phosphorylation of histones, DNA methyltransferases and histone post-translational modifiers establish AMPK as a key player in epigenetic regulation. This review focuses on the role of AMPK as a mediator of cellular survival through its regulation of chromatin remodeling and the implications this has for health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Gongol
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
- Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences, School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| | - Indah Sari
- Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences, School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| | - Tiffany Bryant
- Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences, School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| | - Geraldine Rosete
- Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences, School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| | - Traci Marin
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
- Department of Health Sciences, Victor Valley College, Victorville, CA 92395, USA.
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10
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Cuyàs E, Verdura S, Folguera-Blasco N, Bastidas-Velez C, Martin ÁG, Alarcón T, Menendez JA. Mitostemness. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:918-926. [PMID: 29886796 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1467679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Unraveling the key mechanisms governing the retention versus loss of the cancer stem cell (CSC) state would open new therapeutic avenues to eradicate cancer. Mitochondria are increasingly recognized key drivers in the origin and development of CSC functional traits. We here propose the new term "mitostemness" to designate the mitochondria-dependent signaling functions that, evolutionary rooted in the bacterial origin of mitochondria, regulate the maintenance of CSC self-renewal and resistance to differentiation. Mitostemness traits, namely mitonuclear communication, mitoproteome components, and mitochondrial fission/fusion dynamics, can be therapeutically exploited to target the CSC state. We briefly review the pre-clinical evidence of action of investigational compounds on mitostemness traits and discuss ongoing strategies to accelerate the clinical translation of new mitostemness drugs. The recognition that the bacterial origin of present-day mitochondria can drive decision-making signaling phenomena may open up a new therapeutic dimension against life-threatening CSCs. New therapeutics aimed to target mitochondria not only as biochemical but also as biophysical and morpho-physiological hallmarks of CSC might certainly guide improvements to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Cuyàs
- a Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group , Catalan Institute of Oncology , Girona , Spain.,b Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) , Girona , Spain
| | - Sara Verdura
- a Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group , Catalan Institute of Oncology , Girona , Spain.,b Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) , Girona , Spain
| | | | | | | | - Tomás Alarcón
- c Centre de Recerca Matemàtica , Barcelona , Spain.,e Barcelona Graduate School of Mathematics (BGSMath) , Barcelona , Spain.,f ICREA , Barcelona , Spain.,g Departament de Matemàtiques , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Javier A Menendez
- a Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group , Catalan Institute of Oncology , Girona , Spain.,b Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) , Girona , Spain
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11
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Targeting Mitochondria to Counteract Age-Related Cellular Dysfunction. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9030165. [PMID: 29547561 PMCID: PMC5867886 DOI: 10.3390/genes9030165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Senescence is related to the loss of cellular homeostasis and functions, which leads to a progressive decline in physiological ability and to aging-associated diseases. Since mitochondria are essential to energy supply, cell differentiation, cell cycle control, intracellular signaling and Ca2+ sequestration, fine-tuning mitochondrial activity appropriately, is a tightrope walk during aging. For instance, the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) ensures a supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but is also the main source of potentially harmful levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, mitochondrial function is strongly linked to mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial shape, which undergo various alterations during aging. Since mitochondria play such a critical role in an organism’s process of aging, they also offer promising targets for manipulation of senescent cellular functions. Accordingly, interventions delaying the onset of age-associated disorders involve the manipulation of mitochondrial function, including caloric restriction (CR) or exercise, as well as drugs, such as metformin, aspirin, and polyphenols. In this review, we discuss mitochondria’s role in and impact on cellular aging and their potential to serve as a target for therapeutic interventions against age-related cellular dysfunction.
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12
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Pietrocola F, Kroemer G. Metformin: a metabolic modulator. Oncotarget 2018; 8:9017-9020. [PMID: 28122334 PMCID: PMC5354711 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings have shed new light on the mechanisms of action through which biguanides exert their anti-aging and cytostatic effects in Caenorhabditis elegans and human cell lines. The drop in energy charge resulting from the metformin mediated inhibition of mitochondrial activity affects the function of the nuclear pore complex, blocks mTOR signaling and enhances the expression of ACAD10. Whether the inhibition of this pathway is truly responsible for the anti-diabetic and cancer effects of the drug in mammals remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Pietrocola
- Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, U1138, Paris, France.,Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France.,Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, U1138, Paris, France.,Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France.,Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.,Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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13
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Najafi M, Cheki M, Rezapoor S, Geraily G, Motevaseli E, Carnovale C, Clementi E, Shirazi A. Metformin: Prevention of genomic instability and cancer: A review. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2018; 827:1-8. [PMID: 29502733 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The diabetes drug metformin can mitigate the genotoxic effects of cytotoxic agents and has been proposed to prevent or even cure certain cancers. Metformin reduces DNA damage by mechanisms that are only incompletely understood. Metformin scavenges free radicals, including reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, which are produced by genotoxicants such as ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, heavy metals, and chemotherapeutic agents. The drug may also increase the activities of antioxidant enzymes and inhibit NADPH oxidase, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, thereby limiting macrophage recruitment and inflammatory responses. Metformin stimulates the DNA damage response (DDR) in the homologous end-joining, homologous recombination, and nucleotide excision repair pathways. This review focuses on the protective properties of metformin against genomic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Najafi
- Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department, School of Paramedical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Science, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mohsen Cheki
- Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Saeed Rezapoor
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghazale Geraily
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Motevaseli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Carla Carnovale
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco University Hospital, Università di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Emilio Clementi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy; Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Institute of Neuroscience, L. Sacco University Hospital, Università di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alireza Shirazi
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Spira A, Yurgelun MB, Alexandrov L, Rao A, Bejar R, Polyak K, Giannakis M, Shilatifard A, Finn OJ, Dhodapkar M, Kay NE, Braggio E, Vilar E, Mazzilli SA, Rebbeck TR, Garber JE, Velculescu VE, Disis ML, Wallace DC, Lippman SM. Precancer Atlas to Drive Precision Prevention Trials. Cancer Res 2017; 77:1510-1541. [PMID: 28373404 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-2346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer development is a complex process driven by inherited and acquired molecular and cellular alterations. Prevention is the holy grail of cancer elimination, but making this a reality will take a fundamental rethinking and deep understanding of premalignant biology. In this Perspective, we propose a national concerted effort to create a Precancer Atlas (PCA), integrating multi-omics and immunity - basic tenets of the neoplastic process. The biology of neoplasia caused by germline mutations has led to paradigm-changing precision prevention efforts, including: tumor testing for mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in Lynch syndrome establishing a new paradigm, combinatorial chemoprevention efficacy in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), signal of benefit from imaging-based early detection research in high-germline risk for pancreatic neoplasia, elucidating early ontogeny in BRCA1-mutation carriers leading to an international breast cancer prevention trial, and insights into the intricate germline-somatic-immunity interaction landscape. Emerging genetic and pharmacologic (metformin) disruption of mitochondrial (mt) respiration increased autophagy to prevent cancer in a Li-Fraumeni mouse model (biology reproduced in clinical pilot) and revealed profound influences of subtle changes in mt DNA background variation on obesity, aging, and cancer risk. The elaborate communication between the immune system and neoplasia includes an increasingly complex cellular microenvironment and dynamic interactions between host genetics, environmental factors, and microbes in shaping the immune response. Cancer vaccines are in early murine and clinical precancer studies, building on the recent successes of immunotherapy and HPV vaccine immune prevention. Molecular monitoring in Barrett's esophagus to avoid overdiagnosis/treatment highlights an important PCA theme. Next generation sequencing (NGS) discovered age-related clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Ultra-deep NGS reports over the past year have redefined the premalignant landscape remarkably identifying tiny clones in the blood of up to 95% of women in their 50s, suggesting that potentially premalignant clones are ubiquitous. Similar data from eyelid skin and peritoneal and uterine lavage fluid provide unprecedented opportunities to dissect the earliest phases of stem/progenitor clonal (and microenvironment) evolution/diversity with new single-cell and liquid biopsy technologies. Cancer mutational signatures reflect exogenous or endogenous processes imprinted over time in precursors. Accelerating the prevention of cancer will require a large-scale, longitudinal effort, leveraging diverse disciplines (from genetics, biochemistry, and immunology to mathematics, computational biology, and engineering), initiatives, technologies, and models in developing an integrated multi-omics and immunity PCA - an immense national resource to interrogate, target, and intercept events that drive oncogenesis. Cancer Res; 77(7); 1510-41. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avrum Spira
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pathology and Bioinformatics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Matthew B Yurgelun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ludmil Alexandrov
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
| | - Anjana Rao
- Division of Signaling and Gene Expression, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California
| | - Rafael Bejar
- Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Kornelia Polyak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marios Giannakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Olivera J Finn
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Madhav Dhodapkar
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Neil E Kay
- Department of Hematology, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Esteban Braggio
- Department of Hematology, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Sarah A Mazzilli
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pathology and Bioinformatics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Timothy R Rebbeck
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Judy E Garber
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Victor E Velculescu
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Pathology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Mary L Disis
- Department of Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine in Women's Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Douglas C Wallace
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Scott M Lippman
- Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
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15
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Nutrients in Energy and One-Carbon Metabolism: Learning from Metformin Users. Nutrients 2017; 9:nu9020121. [PMID: 28208582 PMCID: PMC5331552 DOI: 10.3390/nu9020121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic vulnerability is associated with age-related diseases and concomitant co-morbidities, which include obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and cancer. Most of the health problems we face today come from excessive intake of nutrients and drugs mimicking dietary effects and dietary restriction are the most successful manipulations targeting age-related pathways. Phenotypic heterogeneity and individual response to metabolic stressors are closely related food intake. Understanding the complexity of the relationship between dietary provision and metabolic consequences in the long term might provide clinical strategies to improve healthspan. New aspects of metformin activity provide a link to many of the overlapping factors, especially the way in which organismal bioenergetics remodel one-carbon metabolism. Metformin not only inhibits mitochondrial complex 1, modulating the metabolic response to nutrient intake, but also alters one-carbon metabolic pathways. Here, we discuss findings on the mechanism(s) of action of metformin with the potential for therapeutic interpretations.
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