Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38893174›Full record

ArticleCancers2024

Restricting Colorectal Cancer Cell Metabolism with Metformin: An Integrated Transcriptomics Study.

Ayla Orang, Shashikanth Marri, Ross A McKinnon, Janni Petersen, Michael Z Michael

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. p53 and p21 Status Influences Cellular Response to Metformin inCurrent issues in molecular biology · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ayla OrangFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
Shashikanth MarriFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
Ross A McKinnonFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3725-793X
Janni PetersenFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
Michael Z MichaelFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5954-7105

Funding

Tour de Cure (Australia) Established Research Grant
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMetformin is a first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes as it disrupts cellular metabolism. Despite the association between metformin and lower cancer incidence, the anti-tumour activity of the drug in colorectal cancer (CRC) is incompletely understood. This study identifies underlying molecular mechanisms by which metformin slows colorectal cancer cell proliferation by investigating metformin-associated microRNA (miRNA) and target gene pairs implicated in signalling pathways.

methodsThe present study analysed changes in miRNAs and the coding transcriptome in CRC cells treated with a sublethal dose of metformin, followed by the contextual validation of potential miRNA-target gene pairs.

resultsAnalyses of small RNA and transcriptome sequencing data revealed 104 miRNAs and 1221 mRNAs to be differentially expressed in CRC cells treated with metformin for 72 h. Interaction networks between differentially expressed miRNAs and putative target mRNAs were identified. Differentially expressed genes were mainly implicated in metabolism and signalling processes, such as the PI3K-Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways. Further validation of potential miRNA-target mRNA pairs revealed that metformin induced miR-2110 and miR-132-3p to target

conclusionsThis study identified novel changes in the coding transcriptome and small non-coding RNAs associated with metformin treatment of CRC cells. Integration of these datasets highlighted underlying mechanisms by which metformin impedes cell proliferation in CRC. Importantly, it identified the post-transcriptional regulation of specific genes that impact both metabolism and cell proliferation.

Indexed as

colorectal cancerMAPK/ERK pathwaymetforminmicroRNAsPI3K/Akt pathway

Identifiers

PMID38893174
PMCPMC11171104

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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.