title: Effect of metformin on the proliferation and apoptosis of the renal cancer cell line 786-O and the underlying mechanisms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of metformin (Met) on the proliferation and apoptosis of a renal carcinoma cell line and study the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) line 786-O was cultured with media containing different concentrations of Met. The proliferation and apoptosis of 786-O cells were detected by the MTT method and flow cytometry, respectively. The invasion of 786-O cells was detected by scratch test, and the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins was determined by Western blot assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proliferation rates of 786-O cells with Met concentrations of 10, 15, and 20 mM were decreased by 62.8, 61.7, and 65.1%, respectively, with no significant difference among these concentrations (p>0.05). Twenty-four hrs after the scratch assay, the mean migration index in the control group and Met treatment group was 51.6% +/- 5.9 and 28.1% +/- 4.3, and that after 48 hrs was 92.2% +/- 6.4 and 68.0% +/- 4.9, respectively (p<0.05). At low serum concentration, the percentage of apoptotic cells in the Met treatment group (17.6%) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that in the control group (5.2%). Met (10 mM) treatment significantly increased the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax proteins in 786-O cells (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metformin may be a potential drug of choice in the treatment of metastatic RCC.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou,China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Hai
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhi-Tu
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chun-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Hua-Mao
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008687:Metformin