Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.

The anti-diabetic drug metformin regulates T-cell responses to immune activation and is proposed to function by regulating the energy-stress-sensing adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). However, the molecular details of how metformin controls T cell immune responses have not been...

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Main Authors: Marouan Zarrouk, David K Finlay, Marc Foretz, Benoit Viollet, Doreen A Cantrell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106710
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author Marouan Zarrouk
David K Finlay
Marc Foretz
Benoit Viollet
Doreen A Cantrell
author_facet Marouan Zarrouk
David K Finlay
Marc Foretz
Benoit Viollet
Doreen A Cantrell
author_sort Marouan Zarrouk
collection DOAJ
description The anti-diabetic drug metformin regulates T-cell responses to immune activation and is proposed to function by regulating the energy-stress-sensing adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). However, the molecular details of how metformin controls T cell immune responses have not been studied nor is there any direct evidence that metformin acts on T cells via AMPK. Here, we report that metformin regulates cell growth and proliferation of antigen-activated T cells by modulating the metabolic reprogramming that is required for effector T cell differentiation. Metformin thus inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin complex I signalling pathway and prevents the expression of the transcription factors c-Myc and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha. However, the inhibitory effects of metformin on T cells did not depend on the expression of AMPK in T cells. Accordingly, experiments with metformin inform about the importance of metabolic reprogramming for T cell immune responses but do not inform about the importance of AMPK.
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institution DOAJ
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language English
publishDate 2014-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-bb3fdc28cc38417b9055a44bcd4b5cbe2025-08-20T03:10:07ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0199e10671010.1371/journal.pone.0106710Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.Marouan ZarroukDavid K FinlayMarc ForetzBenoit ViolletDoreen A CantrellThe anti-diabetic drug metformin regulates T-cell responses to immune activation and is proposed to function by regulating the energy-stress-sensing adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). However, the molecular details of how metformin controls T cell immune responses have not been studied nor is there any direct evidence that metformin acts on T cells via AMPK. Here, we report that metformin regulates cell growth and proliferation of antigen-activated T cells by modulating the metabolic reprogramming that is required for effector T cell differentiation. Metformin thus inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin complex I signalling pathway and prevents the expression of the transcription factors c-Myc and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha. However, the inhibitory effects of metformin on T cells did not depend on the expression of AMPK in T cells. Accordingly, experiments with metformin inform about the importance of metabolic reprogramming for T cell immune responses but do not inform about the importance of AMPK.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106710
spellingShingle Marouan Zarrouk
David K Finlay
Marc Foretz
Benoit Viollet
Doreen A Cantrell
Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.
PLoS ONE
title Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.
title_full Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.
title_fullStr Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.
title_full_unstemmed Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.
title_short Adenosine-mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-independent effects of metformin in T cells.
title_sort adenosine mono phosphate activated protein kinase independent effects of metformin in t cells
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106710
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AT marcforetz adenosinemonophosphateactivatedproteinkinaseindependenteffectsofmetforminintcells
AT benoitviollet adenosinemonophosphateactivatedproteinkinaseindependenteffectsofmetforminintcells
AT doreenacantrell adenosinemonophosphateactivatedproteinkinaseindependenteffectsofmetforminintcells