DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Role of autophagy in metformin-induced apoptosis of H4IIE hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Metformin에 의해 발생한 H4IIE 간암세포의 세포사멸 과정에서 자가포식의 역할

  • Baek, Keunho (Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Jeju National University) ;
  • Park, Deokbae (Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Jeju National University)
  • 백근호 (제주대학교 의학전문대학원 의학과) ;
  • 박덕배 (제주대학교 의학전문대학원 의학과)
  • Received : 2020.03.13
  • Accepted : 2020.05.09
  • Published : 2020.08.31

Abstract

Metformin, a predominantly prescribed anti-diabetic drug for decades, has gained new insights for its anti-tumor activity in a variety of cancer cells. Our previous studies also showed the obvious pro-apoptotic activity of metformin and the underlying action mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Together with apoptosis, autophagy is a crucial intracellular process to determine the survival or death of cells under some stressful environments. The present study aimed to determine the role of autophagy in metformin-induced death of H4IIE hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Metformin blocked the formation of autophagosome and the expression of LC3A, generally described as a biomarker of autophagy. Inhibition of AMPK reversed the metformin-induced blockade of autophagy. Antioxidant (NAC) suppressed the metformin-induced cell death but not affected LC3A. The inhibition of protein kinase C totally restored the metformin-suppressed expression of LC3A. In summary, our present study suggests that autophagy is an anti-apoptotic player in metformin-induced apoptosis in H4IIE cells.

Keywords

References

  1. Viollet B, Guigas B, Sanz Garcia N, Leclerc J, Foretz M, Andreelli F. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of metformin: an overview. Clin Sci (London, England: 1979) 2012;122: 253-70. https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20110386
  2. Stephenne X, Foretz M, Taleux N, van der Zon GC, Sokal E, Hue L, et al. Metformin activates AMP-activated protein kinase in primary human hepatocytes by decreasing cellular energy status. Diabetologia 2011;54:3101-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-011-2311-5
  3. Gunton JE, Delhanty PJ, Takahashi S, Baxter RC. Metformin rapidly increases insulin receptor activation in human liver and signals preferentially through insulin-receptor substrate-2. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003;88:1323-32. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2002-021394
  4. Quinn BJ, Kitagawa H, Memmott RM, Gills JJ, Dennis PA. Repositioning metformin for cancer prevention and treatment. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2013;24:469-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2013.05.004
  5. Forouzandeh F, Salazar G, Patrushev N, Xiong S, Hilenski L, Fei B, et al. Metformin beyond diabetes: pleiotropic benefits of metformin in attenuation of atherosclerosis. J Am Heart Assoc 2014;3:e001202. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.114.001202
  6. Hattori Y, Hattori K, Hayashi T. Pleiotropic benefits of metformin: macrophage targeting its anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Diabetes 2015;64:1907-9. https://doi.org/10.2337/db15-0090
  7. Khang R, Park C, Shin JH. Dysregulation of parkin in the substantia nigra of db/db and high-fat diet mice. Neuroscience 2015;294:182-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.03.017
  8. Vigneri P, Frasca F, Sciacca L, Pandini G, Vigneri R. Diabetes and cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer 2009;16:1103-23. https://doi.org/10.1677/ERC-09-0087
  9. Landman GW, Kleefstra N, van Hateren KJ, Groenier KH, Gans RO, Bilo HJ. Metformin associated with lower cancer mortality in type 2 diabetes: ZODIAC-16. Diabetes Care 2010;33:322-6. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc09-1380
  10. Giovannucci E, Harlan DM, Archer MC, Bergenstal RM, Gapstur SM, Habel LA, et al. Diabetes and cancer: a consensus report. Diabetes Care 2010;33:1674-85. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc10-0666
  11. Fransgaard T, Thygesen LC, Gogenur I. Metformin Increases Overall Survival in Patients with Diabetes Undergoing Surgery for Colorectal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 2016;23:1569-75. https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-015-5028-8
  12. Park DB. Metformin Promotes Apoptosis but Suppresses Autophagy in Glucose-Deprived H4IIE Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Diabetes Metab J 2015;39:518-27. https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2015.39.6.518
  13. Park D. Metformin Induces Oxidative Stress-Mediated Apoptosis without the Blockade of Glycolysis in H4IIE Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Biol Pharm Bull 2019;42:2002-8. https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b19-00474
  14. Maiuri MC, Zalckvar E, Kimchi A, Kroemer G. Self-eating and self-killing: cross-talk between autophagy and apoptosis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2007;8:741-52. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm2239
  15. Nezis IP, Shravage BV, Sagona AP, Lamark T, Bjorkoy G, Johansen T, et al. Autophagic degradation of dBruce controls DNA fragmentation in nurse cells during late Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis. J Cell Biol 2010;190:523-31. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201002035
  16. Mosmann T. Rapid colorimetric assay for cellular growth and survival: application application to proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. J Immunol Methods 1983;65:55-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1759(83)90303-4
  17. Gump JM, Thorburn A. Autophagy and apoptosis: what is the connection? Trends Cell Biol 2011;21:387-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2011.03.007
  18. Liu Y, Levine B. Autosis and autophagic cell death: the dark side of autophagy. Cell Death Differ 2015;22:367-76. https://doi.org/10.1038/cdd.2014.143
  19. Ghavami S, Shojaei S, Yeganeh B, Ande SR, Jangamreddt JR, Mehrpour M, et al. Autophagy and apoptosis dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders. Prog Neurobiol 2014;112:24-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.10.004
  20. Mi Y, Xiao C, Du Q, Wu W, Qi G, Liu X. Momordin Ic couples apoptosis with autophagy in human hepatoblastoma cancer cells by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. Free Radic Biol Med 2016;90:230-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.11.022
  21. Bridges HR, Jones AJ, Pollak M, Hirst J. Effects of metformin and other biguanides on oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. Biochem J 2014;462:475-87. https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20140620
  22. Mogavero A, Maiorana MV, Zanutto S, Varinelli L, Bozzi F, Belfiore A, et al. Metformin transiently inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation as a result of either AMPK activation or increased ROS production. Sci Rep 2017;7:15992. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16149-z
  23. Inoguchi T, Battan R, Handler E, Sportsman JR, Heath W, King GL. Preferential elevation of protein kinase C isoform beta II and diacylglycerol levels in the aorta and heart of diabetic rats: differential reversibility to glycemic control by islet cell transplantation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1992;89:11059-63. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.89.22.11059
  24. Eun HS, Cho SY, Joo JS, Kang SH, Moon HS, Lee ES, et al. Gene expression of NOX family members and their clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2017;7:11060. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11280-3