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Tumor Biology
Published in: Tumor Biology 5/2016

01-05-2016 | Original Article

Anti-cancer effect of metformin by suppressing signaling pathway of HER2 and HER3 in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells

Authors: Jinkyoung Kim, Jiyun Lee, Chungyeul Kim, Jinhyuk Choi, Aeree Kim

Published in: Tumor Biology | Issue 5/2016

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Abstract

Development of new therapeutic strategies is becoming increasingly important to overcome tamoxifen resistance. Recently, much interest has been focused on anti-tumor effects of metformin commonly used to treat type II diabetes. Increased protein expression and signaling of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family is a possible mechanism involved in tamoxifen resistance. Since HER2/HER3 heterodimers are able to induce strong downstream signaling and activate various biological responses such as cellular proliferation and growth, we investigated the anti-cancer effect of metformin by inhibition of signaling pathway via downregulation of HER2 and HER3 using tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 (TR MCF-7) cells. Compared to MCF-7 cells, TR MCF-7 cells showed increased expression of EGFR, HER2, and HER3, and metformin inhibited the expression of these proteins in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Metformin inhibited activation of HER2 (Tyr1248)/HER3 (Tyr1289)/Akt (Ser473) as well as cell proliferation and colony formation by estrogenic promotion in MCF-7 and TR MCF-7 cells. Known as a HER3 ligand, heregulin (HRG)-β1-induced phosphorylation of HER2, HER3 and Akt, and protein interaction of HER2/HER3 and colony formation were inhibited by metformin in both cells. Consistent with the results in the two cell lines, we identified that metformin inhibited HER2/HER3/Akt signaling axis activated by HRG-β1 using the HER2 and HER3-overexpressing breast cancer cell line SK-BR-3. Lastly, lapatinib-induced HER3 upregulation was significantly inhibited by treatment of metformin in HER3 siRNA-transfected TR MCF-7 cells. These data suggest that metformin might overcome tamoxifen resistance through the inhibition of expression and signaling of receptor tyrosine kinase HER2 and HER3.
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Metadata
Title
Anti-cancer effect of metformin by suppressing signaling pathway of HER2 and HER3 in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells
Authors
Jinkyoung Kim
Jiyun Lee
Chungyeul Kim
Jinhyuk Choi
Aeree Kim
Publication date
01-05-2016
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Tumor Biology / Issue 5/2016
Print ISSN: 1010-4283
Electronic ISSN: 1423-0380
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-015-4440-9

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