Repurposing metformin as a potential anticancer agent using in silico technique

Abstract

Abstract Background The focus on repurposing readily available, well-known drugs for new, creative uses has grown recently. One such medication is metformin, a drug commonly used to manage diabetes, which shows a favorable correlation between its use and lower cancer morbidity and death. Numerous investigations and clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the possible application of metformin as an anticancer medication in light of this conclusion. Objective This study used 'pathway/gene-set analysis' Gene2drug, a resource for Gene Ontology (GO), and DepMap to determine whether metformin would be potentially advantageous for treating cancer. Methods A total of 1826 tumor cell lines were analyzed using the Drug Sensitivity (Primary Purposing Primary Screening) 19Q4 Tool. Results 9 genes from 402 genes, SGPL1, CXCR6, ATXN2L, LAMP3, RTN3, BTN2A1, FOXM1, NQO1, and L1TD1 in 1826 cancer cell line showed statistical sensitivity to metformin. Conclusion This in-silico study showed the sensitivity of specific cancer cell lines to metformin. Therefore, holding promises for metformin and tumor-targeted treatment strategies. It is recommended, however, to conduct further research into its potential effectiveness and mechanism of action. Graphical Abstract