Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer
Growing evidence suggests that the immune component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) may be highly involved in the progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), as an immunosuppressive TME is associated with worse patient outcomes. Due to the poor prognosis of HGSOC, new therapeutic st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/2/867 |
| _version_ | 1797410720898351104 |
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| author | Faye K. Tsogas Daniel Majerczyk Peter C. Hart |
| author_facet | Faye K. Tsogas Daniel Majerczyk Peter C. Hart |
| author_sort | Faye K. Tsogas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Growing evidence suggests that the immune component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) may be highly involved in the progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), as an immunosuppressive TME is associated with worse patient outcomes. Due to the poor prognosis of HGSOC, new therapeutic strategies targeting the TME may provide a potential path forward for preventing disease progression to improve patient survival. One such postulated approach is the repurposing of the type 2 diabetes medication, metformin, which has shown promise in reducing HGSOC tumor progression in retrospective epidemiological analyses and through numerous preclinical studies. Despite its potential utility in treating HGSOC, and that the immune TME is considered as a key factor in the disease’s progression, little data has definitively shown the ability of metformin to target this component of the TME. In this brief review, we provide a summary of the current understanding of the effects of metformin on leukocyte function in ovarian cancer and, coupled with data from other related disease states, posit the potential mechanisms by which the drug may enhance the anti-tumorigenic effects of immune cells to improve HGSOC patient survival. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:33:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c7dcb75808f45c19db2852e038d21ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:33:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c7dcb75808f45c19db2852e038d21ea2023-12-03T13:30:50ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-01-0122286710.3390/ijms22020867Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian CancerFaye K. Tsogas0Daniel Majerczyk1Peter C. Hart2College of Science, Health and Pharmacy, Roosevelt University, Schaumburg, IL 60173, USACollege of Science, Health and Pharmacy, Roosevelt University, Schaumburg, IL 60173, USACollege of Science, Health and Pharmacy, Roosevelt University, Schaumburg, IL 60173, USAGrowing evidence suggests that the immune component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) may be highly involved in the progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), as an immunosuppressive TME is associated with worse patient outcomes. Due to the poor prognosis of HGSOC, new therapeutic strategies targeting the TME may provide a potential path forward for preventing disease progression to improve patient survival. One such postulated approach is the repurposing of the type 2 diabetes medication, metformin, which has shown promise in reducing HGSOC tumor progression in retrospective epidemiological analyses and through numerous preclinical studies. Despite its potential utility in treating HGSOC, and that the immune TME is considered as a key factor in the disease’s progression, little data has definitively shown the ability of metformin to target this component of the TME. In this brief review, we provide a summary of the current understanding of the effects of metformin on leukocyte function in ovarian cancer and, coupled with data from other related disease states, posit the potential mechanisms by which the drug may enhance the anti-tumorigenic effects of immune cells to improve HGSOC patient survival.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/2/867ovarian cancermetforminomentumtumor microenvironmentT cellmyeloid-derived suppressor cell |
| spellingShingle | Faye K. Tsogas Daniel Majerczyk Peter C. Hart Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer International Journal of Molecular Sciences ovarian cancer metformin omentum tumor microenvironment T cell myeloid-derived suppressor cell |
| title | Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer |
| title_full | Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer |
| title_fullStr | Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer |
| title_short | Possible Role of Metformin as an Immune Modulator in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer |
| title_sort | possible role of metformin as an immune modulator in the tumor microenvironment of ovarian cancer |
| topic | ovarian cancer metformin omentum tumor microenvironment T cell myeloid-derived suppressor cell |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/2/867 |
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