Metformin induces autophagy of cisplatin-resistant human gastric cancer cells in addition to apoptosis

Metformin has been used to treat cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and mounting studies have shown that metformin can act alone or in synergy with other anticancer agents achieve anti-cancer efficacies on various types tumors. However, the role either inducing autophagy cisplatin-resistance human gastric cancer (GC) cells never examined. The study established a cisplatin-resistant GC cell line investigated effects it. results demonstrated treatment concentration-dependently suppress viability confluence cells, while having no primary stomach epithelial (HPSEC). For first time, we found significantly increase acidic vesicular organelles (AVO) level decrease acridine orange (AO) spontaneously cells. Thus, further checked markers, Atg5, Atg12 LC3-II, which showed indeed induced In addition, 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) rescue metformin-induced autophagy. At same induce alterations apoptosis-associated signal molecules, such as caspase-3 caspase-7 activities. Overall, pilot provided evidence for addition apoptosis, making it an effective drug therapy GC. Killing non-toxic via both apoptosis might extend its usefulness our fighting chemo-resistance