Anticancer Effects of Metformin on Neuroendocrine Tumor Cells In Vitro

    July 2014 in “ Hormones ”
    George Vlotides, Ayse Tanyeri, Matilde Pia Spampatti, Kathrin Zitzmann, Michael Chourdakis, Chourdakis Spttl, Julian Maurer, Svenja Nölting, Burkhard Göke, Christoph J. Auernhammer
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    TLDR Metformin may help treat neuroendocrine tumors.
    In 2014, a study was conducted to investigate the anticancer effects of metformin, a common antidiabetic drug, on neuroendocrine tumor cells. The researchers treated three types of human neuroendocrine tumor cells (pancreatic BON1, bronchopulmonary NCI-H727, and midgut GOT1) with metformin, observing a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability. Metformin's effects on AMPK phosphorylation varied among the cell types, suggesting both AMPK-dependent and independent properties. Metformin also suppressed mTORC1 signaling in all three cell types, with compensatory AKT activity. The study concluded that metformin could potentially be used as a therapeutic for patients with neuroendocrine tumors.
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