Selective cytotoxicity of the anti-diabetic drug, metformin, in glucose-deprived chicken DT40 cells.

ABSTRACT: Metformin is a biguanide drug that is widely used in the treatment of diabetes. Epidemiological studies have indicated that metformin exhibits anti-cancer activity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this activity currently remain unclear. We hypothesized that metformin is cytotoxic in a tumor-specific environment such as glucose deprivation and/or low oxygen (O2) tension. We herein demonstrated that metformin was highly cytotoxic under glucose-depleted, but not hypoxic (2% O2) conditions. In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this selective cytotoxicity, we treated exposed DNA repair-deficient chicken DT40 cells with metformin under glucose-depleted conditions and measured cellular sensitivity. Under glucose-depleted conditions, metformin specifically killed fancc a

SUBMITTER: Kadoda K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5605006 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature