Metformin limits the tumourigenicity of iPS cells without affecting their pluripotency

• DOI: 10.1038/srep00964
• Publication Date: 2012-12-12T11:31:08Z
• Authors: Alejandro Vazquez...; Sílvia Cufi; Eugeni Lopez-Bonet; Bruna Corominas-Faja; Cristina Oliveras...; Begoña Martin-Cas...; Javier A. Menendez
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Teratoma; Mice, Nude; Cell Differentiation; Article; Metformin; Cell Line; 3. Good health; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Animals; Hypoglycemic Agents; Octamer Transcription Factor-3

The antidiabetic drug metformin efficiently circumvents the dilemma that in reducing tumourigenicity of stem cells, their essence, specifically pluripotency, must also be sacrificed. Metformin prevents occurrence or drastically reduces size and weight teratoma-like masses after transplantation induced pluripotent (iPS) cells into immunodeficient mice. Yet, iPS implanted metformin-treated mice retain full as they produce same number distinct tissue types derived from three embryonic germ layers is observed untreated Mechanistically, appears to suppress Oct4-driven compartment malignant responsible for teratocarcinoma growth while safeguarding an intact, Oct4-independent competency generate terminally differentiated tissues. Metformin's ability control tumourigenic fate teratoma-initiating without interfering with pluripotency not only has implications clinical use but cell biology, cancer ageing.