Research Papers:
Involvement of metformin and AMPK in the radioresponse and prognosis of luminal versus basal-like breast cancer treated with radiotherapy
PDF | HTML | Supplementary Files | How to cite
Metrics: PDF 3629 views | HTML 4712 views | ?
Abstract
Yimin Zhang1, Sarah J. Storr1, Kerstie Johnson2, Andrew R. Green3, Emad A. Rakha3, Ian O. Ellis3, David A.L. Morgan2 and Stewart G. Martin1
1 Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City Hospital Campus, Nottingham, UK
2 Clinical Oncology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City Hospital Campus, Nottingham, UK
3 Histopathology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City Hospital Campus, Nottingham, UK
Correspondence:
Stewart G. Martin, email:
Keywords: metformin; AMPK; radiosensitivity; breast cancer; luminal phenotype
Received: August 27, 2014 Accepted: November 04, 2014 Published: November 04, 2014
Abstract
Metformin is under evaluation as a potential anticancer agent. Expression of total and phospho(Thr172)-adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase-α (AMPKα and pAMPKα(Thr172) respectively), a main metformin target, was examined in radiotherapy treated breast cancers and metformin’s ability to modulate Trx system expression and breast cancer radiosensitivity evaluated in vitro.
AMPKα and pAMPKα(Thr172) expression was assessed using a discovery (n=166) and validation cohort (n=609). Metformin’s role in regulating radioresponse, and Trx family expression, was examined via clonogenic assays and Western blots. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, cell cycle progression and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry.
High AMPKα expression associated with improved local recurrence-free (P=0.019), relapse-free (P=0.016) and breast cancer-specific survival (P=0.000065) and was, from multivariate analysis, an independent prognostic factor from the discovery cohort. From the validation cases AMPKα expression associated with relapse-free and breast cancer-specific survival in luminal breast cancers. Metformin substantially increased radiosensitivity, intracellular ROS levels and reduced Trx expression, in luminal breast cancer cells, but had little effect on basal phenotype cells.
In conclusion, high AMPKα expression associates with improved prognosis, especially in luminal breast cancer. Metformin preferentially radiosensitises luminal breast cancer cells, potentially due to alterations to intracellular ROS levels via modulation of Trx family protein expression.
All site content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
PII: 2683