Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen - German Research Centre for
Environmental Health
Besides affecting the blood sugar levels, the substance Metformin, also has an impact on blood fat levels.
This was elucidated by an interdisciplinary team of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) headed by Dr. Rui Wang-Sattler of the Helmholtz Zentrum München. Especially the harmful LDL cholesterol can be reduced. The results have recently been published in the journal Diabetes Care.
The
DZD-researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München and German Diabetes Center
Düsseldorf analyzed more than 1.800 blood samples of participants, who joined
the German large-scale study KORA. Using a comprehensive approach, the
scientists investigated metabolic products (metabolites) as well as genetics of
these participants.
They found that the administration of Metformin in patients
suffering from Type 2 Diabetes led to a change in metabolite levels. According
to the authors, this was associated with a significantly decreased level of LDL
cholesterol, which is under strong suspicion to promote cardiovascular diseases
by causing atherosclerosis.
Metformin affects blood fat levels via
AMPK signaling pathway
Together
with colleagues in the Netherlands, the scientists aligned the metabolite
concentrations with the genetic information, thereby identifying metabolites
and genes involved in the respective pathways. "We speculate that
Metformin intake affects the levels of LDL cholesterol via AMPK, leading to a
down-regulation of the genes FADS1 and 2.
This is also supported by the fact
that three lipid metabolites, which are dependent on FADS, are decreased.
Presumably, this is the mechanism how the production of LDL cholesterol is
repressed by Metformin.," reports Dr. Rui Wang-Sattler, head of the group
'Metabolism' in the Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology at the Institute of
Epidemiology II of the Helmholtz Zentrum München.
"Our
study suggests that Metformin might indeed have an additional beneficial effect
with regards to cardiovascular diseases among the Diabetes patients," says
first author Dr. Tao Xu. Moreover, the Helmholtz scientists aim to elucidate
how Metformin, which is used in the clinic for over 50 years, works on the
molecular level.
"Until now the exact mechanism is unclear. Thus, we want
to continue our contribution to its decryption," co-first author Dr.
Stefan Brandmaier adds.