Metformin Prevents or Delays the Development and Progression of Osteoarthritis: New Insight and Mechanism of Action

Miao He; Bangbao Lu; Michael Opoku; Liang Zhang; Wenqing Xie; Hongfu Jin; Siyu Chen; Yusheng Li; Zhenhan Deng

doi:10.3390/cells11193012

Metformin Prevents or Delays the Development and Progression of Osteoarthritis: New Insight and Mechanism of Action

Cells. 2022 Sep 27;11(19):3012. doi: 10.3390/cells11193012.

Authors

Miao He¹, Bangbao Lu¹, Michael Opoku¹, Liang Zhang¹, Wenqing Xie¹, Hongfu Jin¹, Siyu Chen², Yusheng Li^{1

3}, Zhenhan Deng²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
² Department of Sports Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, China.
³ National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.

Abstract

For over 60 years, metformin has been widely prescribed by physicians to treat type 2 diabetes. Along with more in-depth research on metformin and its molecular mechanism in recent decades, metformin has also been proposed as an effective drug to prevent or delay musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoarthritis (OA). The occurrence and development of OA are deemed to be associated with the impaired mitochondrial functions of articular chondrocytes. Metformin can activate the pathways and expressions of both AMPK and SIRT1 so as to protect the mitochondrial function of chondrocytes, thereby promoting osteoblast production. Moreover, the clinical significance of the metformin combination therapy in preventing OA has also been demonstrated. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the current research progress on metformin as a proposed drug for OA prevention or treatment.

Keywords: AMPK; SIRT1; metformin; osteoarthritis; type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / drug therapy
Humans
Metformin* / pharmacology
Metformin* / therapeutic use
Osteoarthritis* / drug therapy
Osteoarthritis* / metabolism
Osteoarthritis* / prevention & control
Sirtuin 1 / metabolism

Substances

Metformin
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
Sirtuin 1

Grants and funding

This research was funded by National Key R&D Program of China: 2019YFA0111900; National Natural Science Foundation of China: 81874030, 81902303, 82072506; Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation: 2020A1515011046, 2021A1515220030; Provincial Clinical Medical Technology Innovation Project of Hunan: 2020SK53709; Shenzhen Science and Technology Project: RCBS20200714114856299, RCYX20210609103902019; Innovation-Driven Project of Central South University: 2020CX045.