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Updated: Apr 2, 2026

In Vivo CRISPR/Cas9 Screening to Simultaneously Evaluate Gene Function in Mouse Skin and Oral Cavity
Published on: November 2, 2020
Genome-Wide CRISPR Analysis Uncovers Metformin and NSAID Combination as a Chemopreventive Approach in
Hiroshi Y Yamada1, Chinthalapally V Rao1,2
1Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, Department of Medicine, Hem-Onc Section, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Abstract:
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and carries substantial morbidity. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic agent, shows promise for HNSCC prevention, but resistance arises in a subset of tumors. In a recent issue of Cancer Prevention Research, Hoang and colleagues use CRISPR screening to identify key mediators of metformin resistance, including AMPK and protein kinase A (PKA), and demonstrate that the cyclooxygenase 2-prostaglandin E2 axis acts upstream of PKA. Because this pathway is readily inhibited by common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), the findings support clinical evaluation of combined metformin and NSAID therapy to improve HNSCC chemoprevention. See related article by Hoang et al., p. 79 .
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