Research of the influence and mechanism about metformin on the proliferation of differentiated endometrial carcinoma cells / 中华妇产科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of metformin on cell proliferation in differentiation degree of endometrial carcinoma cells and related mechanisms. Methods The endometrial cancer cell lines Ishikawa and AN3CA were used. Cell proliferation was assessed after exposure to metformin with or without epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor AG1478 by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method. EGFR mRNA was determined by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The expression of phosphorylation EGFR (p-EGFR) and total EGFR (t-EGFR) and phosphorylation extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) and total ERK1/2 (t-ERK1/2) were examined by western blot. Results (1)CCK-8 experiment showed that metformin could inhibit the proliferation of endometrial cancer cells in a time-dependent manner and a dose-dependent manner (P0.05). But the expression levels of p-EGFR and p-ERK1/2 protein were significantly lower between two groups (P<0.01), which showed a time-dependent manner(P<0.01). Conclusion Metformin could inhibit the proliferation of endometrial cancer cells, the inhibition is associated with the differentiation degree of cancer cells. Metformin could enhance the EGFR signaling pathway inhibitor AG1478 inhibition of endometrial cancer cells, which may inhibit EGFR expression of phosphorylated proteins to inhibit the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 proteins and then inhibit proliferation of endometrial cancer cells.