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Cancer Cell International
Published in: Cancer Cell International 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Primary Research

Metformin exhibits the anti-proliferation and anti-invasion effects in hepatocellular carcinoma cells after insufficient radiofrequency ablation

Authors: Qingyun Zhang, Jian Kong, Shuying Dong, Wenlei Xu, Wenbing Sun

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

The mechanisms and prevention of progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after insufficient radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been preliminarily investigated, therefore, new strategy needs to be investigated to prevent the process. Whether metformin could be used to inhibit the growth of HCC after insufficient RFA and further prevent the progression of residual HCC remains unclearly.

Methods

MTT assay, colony formation assay and transwell assay were used to observe the cell viability, migration and invasion. Western blot and immunohistochemistry methods were used to observe the expression of proteins. Xenograft model was used to evaluate the growth of HCC cells in vivo.

Results

Metformin inhibited the enhanced proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells after insufficient RFA (named as HepG2-H and SMMC7721-H). Metformin deregulated the expression of p-Akt in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells after insufficient RFA through AMPK/PTEN pathway. HepG2-H cells also exhibited larger tumor size in vivo. Higher expression of Ki-67 and CD31 and lower expression of E-cadherin were observed in HepG2-H tumors. Metformin blocked the enhanced growth of HepG2 cells in vivo after insufficient RFA. Metformin had no apparent toxicity on nude mice.

Conclusions

Metfromin inhibited the growth of HCC cells after insufficient RFA, and may be used to prevent the progression of HCC after RFA.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Metformin exhibits the anti-proliferation and anti-invasion effects in hepatocellular carcinoma cells after insufficient radiofrequency ablation
Authors
Qingyun Zhang
Jian Kong
Shuying Dong
Wenlei Xu
Wenbing Sun
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-017-0418-6

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