title: Metformin: a metabolic modulator.
abstract: Recent findings have shed new light on the mechanisms of action through which biguanides exert their anti-aging and cytostatic effects in Caenorhabditis elegans and human cell lines. The drop in energy charge resulting from the metformin mediated inhibition of mitochondrial activity affects the function of the nuclear pore complex, blocks mTOR signaling and enhances the expression of ACAD10. Whether the inhibition of this pathway is truly responsible for the anti-diabetic and cancer effects of the drug in mammals remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.|INSERM, U1138, Paris, France.|Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France.|Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.|Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France.|Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pietrocola
authors.affiliation: Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.|INSERM, U1138, Paris, France.|Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France.|Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.|Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France.|Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.|Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.|Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
mesh_terms: D042964:Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin; C499845:ACAD10 protein, human; C000618373:ACAD-10 protein, C elegans; D042964:Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: aging; autophagy; biguanides; caloric restriction; cancer