The Effect of Metformin on Expression of Long Non-coding RNA H19 in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is the fourth most widespread cancer among females, with a growing prevalence in recent years. Management by combined therapies along with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have improved patients’ prognoses. Besides, the development of new therapies helps preserve fertility and prognosis in aggressive tumors.The purpose of this research was to identify the efficacy of metformin on the H19 long non-coding RNA expression in endometrial cancer to provide further insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of the disease.

A total of 23 patients with endometrial cancer, diagnosed by biopsy or diagnostic curettage, were recruited and divided into three groups, before and after metformin treatment and placebo. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate the H19 expression in cancer tissue in all patients.

It has been observed that in endometrial tissue of the “after-metformin” treatment group, the H19 expression level was significantly reduced, compared with the “before-metformin” treatment group, but not in comparison with the placebo. These findings indicate that metformin reduced the H19 expression in endometrial cancer.

Anti-diabetic drugs, such as metformin, may be beneficial by reducing the H19 expression in endometrial cancer due to the H19 relation to cancer progression.