Metformin is a novel suppressor for transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1.

ABSTRACT: Metformin is a widely used first-line antidiabetic drug that has been shown to protect against a variety of specific diseases in addition to diabetes, including cardiovascular disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, and cancer. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the diverse therapeutic effects of metformin remain elusive. Here, we report that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), which is involved in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, is a novel target of metformin. Using a surface plasmon resonance-based assay, we identified the direct binding of metformin to TGF-β1 and found that metformin inhibits [(125)I]-TGF-β1 binding to its receptor. Furthermore, based on molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, metformin was predicted to interact with TGF-β1 at its receptor

SUBMITTER: Xiao H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4923858 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature