Metformin stimulates IGFBP-2 gene expression through PPARalpha in diabetic states

Sci Rep. 2016 Mar 24:6:23665. doi: 10.1038/srep23665.

Abstract

The anti-diabetic drug, metformin, exerts its action through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and Sirtuin (Sirt1) signaling. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) prevents IGF-1 binding to its receptors, thereby contributing to modulate insulin sensitivity. In this study, we demonstrate that metformin upregulates Igfbp-2 expression through the AMPK-Sirt1-PPARα cascade pathway. In the liver of high fat diet, ob/ob, and db/db mice, Igfbp-2 expression was significantly decreased compared to the expression levels in the wild-type mice (p < 0.05). Upregulation of Igfbp-2 expression by metformin administration was disrupted by gene silencing of Ampk and Sirt1, and this phenomenon was not observed in Pparα-null mice. Notably, activation of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R)-dependent signaling by IGF-1 was inhibited by metformin. Finally, when compared to untreated type 2 diabetes patients, the metformin-treated diabetic patients showed increased IGFBP-2 levels with diminished serum IGF-1 levels. Taken together, these findings indicate that IGFBP-2 might be a new target of metformin action in diabetes and the metformin-AMPK-Sirt1-PPARα-IGFBP-2 network may provide a novel pathway that could be applied to ameliorate metabolic syndromes by controlling IGF-1 bioavailability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenylate Kinase / genetics
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / genetics*
  • Male
  • Metformin / administration & dosage*
  • Metformin / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • PPAR alpha / genetics
  • Sirtuin 1 / genetics

Substances

  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2
  • PPAR alpha
  • Metformin
  • Adenylate Kinase
  • Sirt1 protein, mouse
  • Sirtuin 1