Metformin sensitizes the response of oral squamous cell carcinoma to cisplatin treatment through inhibition of NF-κB/HIF-1α signal axis.

ABSTRACT: Resistance towards chemotherapy is a common complication in treatment of oral cancers, which leads to treatment failure and poor outcome. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has shown that tumour hypoxia significantly contributes to chemoresistance. Metformin, a widely used oral hypoglycaemic drug, can reportedly potentiate the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs in various cancers; however, the underlying mechanisms are intricate and have not been fully understood. In this study, we explored the role of metformin in chemosensitivity of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells (OSCC) to cisplatin both in vitro and in vivo, and attempted to elucidate its possible underlying mechanisms. Encouragingly, we found that metformin synergistically enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity and reversed the c

SUBMITTER: Qi X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5071902 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature