Cell lines

Six breast cancer cell lines, including MCF7, BT20, T47D, MDA-MB-453, and MDA-MB-231

Preparation Method

Human breast cancer cells were plated into 35 mm dishes. After one day cells were treated with metformin at the indicated concentrations or the same volume of sterilized water,incubated with metformin for 1, 2 or 3 days.

Reaction Conditions

8 mM for 1, 2 or 3 days

Applications

Five of six breast cancer cell lines, including MCF7, BT20, T47D, MDA-MB-453, and MDA-MB-474, underwent growth arrest after metformin treatment.

Animal models

female FVB/N HER-2/neu mice

Preparation Method

Mice of the first group were given metformin with drinking water (100 mg/kg) for five consecutive days every month for 12 months, whereas the mice of the second group were given tap water without metformin and served as a control.

Dosage form

100 mg/kg, oral

Applications

One control mouse (3%) survived the age of 10 months whereas 9 mice (28%) survived this age in metformin-treated group

References:

[1]: Zhuang?Y, Miskimins?WK.?Cell cycle arrest in Metformin treated breast cancer cells involves activation of AMPK, downregulation of cyclin D1, and requires p27Kip1 or p21Cip1. J Mol Signal?2008;3:18.
[2]: Anisimov?VN, Berstein?LM, Egormin?PA, Piskunova?TS, Popovich?IG, Zabezhinski?MA, Kovalenko?IG, Poroshina?TE, Semenchenko?AV, Provinciali?M, Re?F, Franceschi?C: Effect of metformin on life span and on the development of spontaneous mammary tumors in HER-2/neu transgenic mice. Exp Gerontol?2005;?40: 685-693