Researchers from Flinders University have conducted a study on how a medication for type 2 diabetes could potentially control tumor growth, which could lead to the development of more effective cancer treatments. The study focused on the effects of using metformin to treat colorectal cancer cells, showing that it has the potential to be used in the creation of new cancer therapies.Previous epidemiology studies indicate that metformin can help in protecting diabetes patients from developing certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer. Researchers at Flinders University aimed to determine the effects of metformin medication on cancer cells and how this could potentially benefit future cancer treatments. Dr. Ayla Orang, the lead author from Flinders University’s College of Medicine and Public Health, explained that through the use of advanced techniques, they were able to analyze how metformin can hinder the growth and multiplication of colorectal cancer cells by controlling specific ‘pathways’ inside the cells that regulate growth and division.
“Our research has discovered that metformin utilizes microRNAs to deactivate genes involved in cell growth and division, potentially leading to the development of targeted cancer therapy.
“Specifically, we observed that metformin elevates levels of microRNAs such as miR-2110 and miR-132-3p, which effectively target genes and hinder tumor growth and progression.
“This knowledge could pave the way for the creation of RNA-based treatments for cancer. It has been found that metformin increases the levels of microRNAs that target specific genes in colorectal cancer cells,” she explains. The study, titled “Restricting Colorectal Cancer Cell Metabolism with Metformin: An Integrated Transcriptomics Study,” employed advanced methods to analyze microRNAs and the complete set of genes expressed in the colon cancer cells. This comprehensive approach aimed to gain insight into how metformin impacts the cells. Metformin was observed to elevate the levels of particular microRNAs such as miR-2110 and miR-132-3p, which target the gene PIK3R3. This process contributes to slowing down the proliferation of cancer cells. Additionally, a different set of microRNAs was found to target the gene STMN1., which resulted in decreased cell growth and a delayed cell cycle.
The study’s senior authors, Associate Professor Michael Michael and Professor Janni Petersen, believe that the findings represent a significant advancement in our comprehension of how metformin hinders cancer cell growth and its potential application in cancer treatment.
“Our research offers fresh perspectives on the molecular mechanisms through which metformin operates, and how we may be able to target genes that are responsible for transforming normal cells into cancerous ones,” explained Associate Professor Michael.
This is noteworthy because it demonstrates metformin’s potential as a preventative agent for limiting the growth. The study focuses on the connection between bowel cancer and RNA therapeutics as a potential new approach for exploring the effectiveness of these findings in a clinical setting.
Further research is needed to explore the potential therapeutic advantages of targeting specific miRNAs or pathways with RNA-based therapies for cancer treatment.
Prior research has used metformin to unravel cancer cell metabolism, and the next step is to focus on specific cell pathways, leading to animal studies and eventually human clinical trials.”
