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microRNAs and cancer metabolism reprogramming: the paradigm of metformin

Claudio Pulito1, Sara Donzelli1, Paola Muti1

  • 11 Molecular Chemoprevention Unit, Italian National Cancer Institute 'Regina Elena', Rome, Italy ; 2 Translational Oncogenomics Unit, Italian National Cancer Institute 'Regina Elena', Rome, Italy ; 3 Department of Oncology, Juravinski Cancer Center-McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada ; 4 Department of Surgical Oncology, Ospedale SanVincenzo, Taormina (Me), Italy.

Annals of Translational Medicine
|October 22, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Metformin, an anti-hyperglycemic drug, effectively reprograms cancer cell metabolism, including drug-resistant cancer stem cells. This reprogramming involves microRNA modulation, offering potential new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Metabolism
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit critical metabolic alterations, driving tumor progression.
  • Understanding these metabolic changes is crucial for identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
  • Reprogramming cancer metabolism towards a normal cellular state is a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism by metformin.
  • To explore the role of microRNA (miRNA) modulation in metformin's anticancer effects.
  • To discuss the therapeutic implications of metformin-induced metabolic reprogramming.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on cancer metabolism and metformin.
  • Analysis of studies investigating metformin's effects on cancer cell metabolism.
  • Examination of research on miRNA involvement in metformin's mechanism of action.

Main Results:

  • Metformin effectively reprograms cancer cell metabolism, even in chemoresistant cancer stem-like cells.
  • Metformin's metabolic reprogramming is associated with selective modulation of microRNAs (miRNAs).
  • This interplay between metabolism and miRNAs is key to metformin's anticancer activity.

Conclusions:

  • Metformin shows promise in reversing cancer-specific metabolic reprogramming.
  • MicroRNA modulation is an integral part of metformin's therapeutic effects.
  • Targeting cancer metabolism via metformin and miRNAs presents a novel therapeutic avenue.
Keywords:
DiabetescancerchemopreventionmetabolismmicroRNA (miRNA)therapy

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