ArticleAging2020
Metformin attenuates cartilage degeneration in an experimental osteoarthritis model by regulating AMPK/mTOR.
Article in Aging, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 79 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
79 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 112 citations in OpenAlex.
- Metformin for knee osteoarthritis in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, safety, and disease-modifying anti-inflammatory potential.Inflammopharmacology · 2026Pooled it
- The effect of metformin in clinical studies on knee osteoarthritis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Metformin as adjuvant therapy in obese knee osteoarthritis patients.Inflammopharmacology · 2024Trial
- Metformin attenuates symptoms of osteoarthritis: role of genetic diversity of Bcl2 and CXCL16 in OA.Arthritis research & therapy · 2023Trial
- Dose-dependent histopathological and immunohistochemical effects of metformin in experimental osteoarthritis.Clinical rheumatology · 2026Article
- Review
- Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Superficial Zone Chondrocytes as a Catabolic and Senescent Focus in Osteoarthritis Cartilage.Cartilage · 2026Article
- Pathological mechanisms of osteoarthritis in the network of geriatric comorbidities: Emerging insights from organs-crosstalk.Journal of orthopaedic translation · 2026Review
- Smart Nanodelivery Systems for Immunometabolic Modulation in Osteoarthritis.Exploration (Beijing, China) · 2026Review
- Exploring the therapeutic applications of metformin in articular cartilage repair: mechanistic insights and translational perspectives.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Integrative multi-omics identifiesFrontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Metformin Attenuates Osteoarthritis Progression by Modulating Mitochondrial Dynamics via Activation of the AMPK/Drp1 Pathway.Journal of inflammation research · 2026Article
- Inflammaging and osteoarthritis - therapeutic opportunities.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Update on metformin for osteoarthritis treatment.Inflammopharmacology · 2025Review
- The impact of mitochondrial dysfunction on osteoarthritis cartilage: current insights and emerging mitochondria-targeted therapies.Bone research · 2025Review
- Patient Perceptions of Medication Therapy for Prevention of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Qualitative Content Analysis.Arthritis care & research · 2025Article
- Targeting TREM-1 receptors with metformin and pravastatin modulate monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis.Inflammopharmacology · 2025Article
- Nitazoxanide Modulates Mitochondrial Function and Inflammatory Metabolism in Chondrocytes from Patients with Osteoarthritis via AMPK/mTORC1 Signaling.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Senotherapeutic repurposing of metformin for age-related diseases and their signaling pathways.Molecular biology reports · 2025Review
- Metformin treatment for patients with hand osteoarthritis: protocol for the multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled METRO trial.BMJ open · 2025Article
19 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIt is generally thought that the occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) results from multiple causes, including degradation and destruction of the cartilage matrix and aging of chondrocytes. Metformin is a first-line drug for the treatment of diabetes, and has great potential for the treatment of other disorders. However, the role of metformin in OA is unknown.
resultsMetformin displayed a protective effect against OA. There were lower OARSI scores and fewer MMP-13-positive cells in DMM mice and cartilage explants after treatment with metformin. In addition, metformin treatment decreased p16
conclusionsMetformin effectively alleviated cartilage degradation and aging through regulation of the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathways, suggesting that it could be an effective treatment for OA.
methodsThe effects of metformin on cartilage degradation and chondrocyte aging was determined in a destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced OA mouse model and in IL-1β-treated mouse chondrocytes and cartilage explants. Articular cartilage degeneration was graded using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) criteria. Immunostaining, RT-PCR, and western blot analyses were conducted to detect the relative expressions of protein and RNA.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.