Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies
07:29

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies

Published on: June 20, 2015

20.2K

Metformin: Insights into its anticancer potential with special reference to AMPK dependent and independent pathways

Shoeb Ikhlas1, Masood Ahmad1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.

Life Sciences
|July 31, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Metformin, a diabetes drug, shows anticancer potential by inhibiting cancer cell growth through mTORC1 signaling. Ongoing studies explore its use in cancer prevention and treatment, enhanced by new analogues and nanotechnology.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Metformin is a primary treatment for type 2 diabetes.
  • Emerging research highlights metformin's anticancer properties.
  • Metformin influences key cancer pathways like mTORC1 signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review metformin's anticancer mechanisms, focusing on mTORC1 inhibition.
  • To summarize preclinical and clinical study outcomes on metformin's anti-cancer effects.
  • To discuss advancements in metformin-based cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of AMPK-dependent and independent pathways.
  • Analysis of preclinical cancer models.
  • Evaluation of human clinical trial data.

Main Results:

  • Metformin inhibits mTORC1 signaling, crucial for cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis.
  • Preclinical studies show metformin's efficacy across various cancer types.
  • Clinical trials are investigating metformin for cancer chemoprevention and treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Metformin exhibits significant anticancer potential via mTORC1 pathway modulation.
  • Further clinical investigations are warranted to establish metformin's role in cancer therapy.
  • Novel metformin analogues and nanomedicine enhance its therapeutic prospects.
Keywords:
AMPKCancerClinical trialsMetforminPreclinical evidencemTORC1 inhibition

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment11:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment

Published on: June 9, 2023

2.4K
Isolation of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes for Nascent Protein Synthesis Analysis by Non-radioactive L-azidohomoalanine Labeling Method08:04

Isolation of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes for Nascent Protein Synthesis Analysis by Non-radioactive L-azidohomoalanine Labeling Method

Published on: October 23, 2018

19.9K

Related Concept Videos

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.9K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
5.8K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
7.4K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
8.2K
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
6.1K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
6.2K