Abstract
Background Metformin has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell death in many cancer cell lines. However, some cell lines exhibit resistance to the cytotoxic effects of metformin in tissue culture medium with high glucose levels (25 mM). Recent studies suggest when glucose is lowered; metformin becomes increasingly cytotoxic to cancer cells. However, the precise mechanism for metformin’s cancer cytotoxicity remains unidentified.
Highlights
Metformin has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell death in many cancer cell lines
Metformin became more cytotoxic in all of the tested breast cancer cell lines when glucose concentration was titrated to low levels in tissue culture medium
Metformin enhanced cytotoxicity in low glucose medium was correlated with significant reduction of ATP that was not observed in high glucose containing medium
Summary
Metformin has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell death in many cancer cell lines. Some cell lines exhibit resistance to the cytotoxic effects of metformin in tissue culture medium with high glucose levels (25 mM). Recent studies suggest when glucose is lowered; metformin becomes increasingly cytotoxic to cancer cells. The precise mechanism for metformin’s cancer cytotoxicity remains unidentified
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