title: Metformin targets multiple signaling pathways in cancer.
abstract: Metformin, an inexpensive and well-tolerated oral agent commonly used in the first-line treatment of type 2 diabetes, has become the focus of intense research as a candidate anticancer agent. Here, we discuss the potential of metformin in cancer therapeutics, particularly its functions in multiple signaling pathways, including AMP-activated protein kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, insulin-like growth factor, c-Jun N-terminal kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, and nuclear factor kappaB pathways. In addition, cutting-edge targeting of cancer stem cells by metformin is summarized.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Longevity and Ageing-related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.|Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, 14th Floor, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences Building, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: School for International Education, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Longevity and Ageing-related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.|Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, 14th Floor, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences Building, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Longevity and Ageing-related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.|Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, 14th Floor, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences Building, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Evan T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chao-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Longevity and Ageing-related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China. jianzhang008@hotmail.com.|Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, 14th Floor, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences Building, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China. jianzhang008@hotmail.com.|Department of Urology and Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. jianzhang008@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Longevity and Ageing-related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China. luyi5555@hotmail.com.|Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, 14th Floor, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences Building, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, P. R. China. luyi5555@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin
keywords: Cancer; Cancer stem cell; Metformin; Signaling pathway