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Malik F, Mehdi SF, Ali H, Patel P, Basharat A, Kumar A, Ashok F, Stein J, Brima W, Malhotra P, Roth J. Is metformin poised for a second career as an antimicrobial? Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2018; 34:e2975. [PMID: 29271563 DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.2975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Metformin, a widely used antihyperglycaemic, has a good safety profile, reasonably manageable side-effects, is inexpensive, and causes a desirable amount of weight loss. In 4 studies of patients with tuberculosis (1 prospective and 3 retrospective), metformin administration resulted in better outcomes. In mice with several models of endotoxemia, metformin diminished levels of proinflammatory cytokines and improved survival. Laboratory studies showed effectiveness of the drug on multiple pathogens, including Trichinella spiralis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. Metformin administration in humans and mice produced major changes in the composition of the gut microbiota. These recently discovered microbe-modulating properties of the drug have led investigators to predict wide therapeutic utility for metformin. The recent easing in United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines regarding administration of metformin to patients with kidney disease, and reduced anxiety about patient safety in terms of lactic acidosis, increase the probability of broadening of metformin's usage as a treatment of infectious agents. In this text we review articles pertinent to metformin's effects on microorganisms, both pathogens and commensals. We highlight the possible role of metformin in a wide range of infectious diseases and a possible expansion of its therapeutic profile in this field. A systematic review was done of PubMed indexed articles that examined the effects of metformin on a wide range of pathogens. Metformin was found to have efficacy as an antimicrobial agent in patients with tuberculosis. Mice infected with Trypanosomiasis cruzi had higher survival when also treated with metformin. The drug in vitro was active against T. spiralis, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and hepatitis B virus. In addition there is emerging literature on its role in sepsis. We conclude that metformin may have a potential role in the therapy for multiple infectious diseases. Metformin, in addition to its traditional effects on glucose metabolism, provides anti-microbial benefits in patients with tuberculosis and in a very wide range of other infections encounters in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Malik
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Syed Faizan Mehdi
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Haroon Ali
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Priya Patel
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Anam Basharat
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Amrat Kumar
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Fnu Ashok
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Joanna Stein
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Wunnie Brima
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Prashant Malhotra
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Jesse Roth
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, NY, USA
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Abstract
The family members Batf, Batf2 and Batf3 belong to a class of transcription factors containing basic leucine zipper domains that regulate various immunological functions and control the development and differentiation of immune cells. Functional studies by others demonstrated a predominant role for Batf in controlling Th2 cell functions and lineage development of T lymphocytes as well as a critical role of Batf, Batf2 and Batf3 in CD8α+dendritic cell development. Moreover, Batf family member expression was measured in a vast collection of mouse and human cell types by cap analysis gene expression (CAGE), a recent developed sequencing technology, showing reasonable expression spectrum in immune cells consistent with previously published expression profiles. Batf and Batf3 were highly expressed in lymphocytes and the earlier moderately expressed in myeloid lineages. Batf2 was predominantly expressed in monocytes/macrophages. Functional studies in mice demonstrated that Batf2 has a central role in macrophage activation by regulating inflammatory responses during lipopolysaccharides stimulation and mycobacterial infection. Hence, Batf2 could be used as a biomarker and a potential host directed drug target in tuberculosis. Moreover, Batf2 act as a tumor suppressor gene and augmenting Batf2 in malignant cells might be an encouraging therapeutic treatment against cancer.
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Schito M, Maeurer M, Kim P, Hanna D, Zumla A. Translating the Tuberculosis Research Agenda: Much Accomplished, but Much More to Be Done. Clin Infect Dis 2016; 61Suppl 3:S95-101. [PMID: 26409286 DOI: 10.1093/cid/civ608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of effective diagnostics and curative treatment regimens for tuberculosis, millions of people die each year of this disease. The steady global increase in the number of tuberculosis cases caused by multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are of major concern, especially in light of the thin tuberculosis drug pipeline. New tuberculosis drugs are undergoing clinical evaluation, and renewed hope comes from fresh approaches to improve treatment outcomes using a range of adjunct host-directed cellular and repurposed drug therapies. Current efforts in developing second-generation and new rapid point-of-care diagnostic assays take advantage of recent genetic and molecular advances. Slow progress in the development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines requires increased funding for basic as well as translational research. Although major challenges remain, these can be overcome by cementing our resolve, raising advocacy, bolstering global funder investments, and leveraging more effective collaborations through equitable public-private partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Schito
- Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens, Critical Path Institute, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Markus Maeurer
- Therapeutic Immunology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Center for Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Kim
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Debra Hanna
- Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens, Critical Path Institute, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity Center for Clinical Microbiology, University College London Biomedical Research Centre at University College Hospitals NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
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