Investigating the therapeutic effect of metformin on melanoma cancer stem cells using optical microscopy.
Journal
Medical engineering & physics
Journal Volume
147
Journal Issue
1
ISSN
1873-4030
Date Issued
2026-01-09
Author(s)
Huang, Chung-You
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are neoplastic cells that possess certain stem cell properties and are increasingly recognized as pivotal contributors to cancer metastasis, recurrence, and therapy resistance. Recent studies have demonstrated that metformin, a medication for type 2 diabetes, can inhibit the proliferation of CSCs. Malignant melanoma, which harbors CSCs, serves as a valuable model for evaluating cancer therapies and characterizing CSCs. This study assessed the impact of metformin (0-500g ml) on melanoma CSCs by employingthree-dimensional (3D) cell cultures and optical microscopy. Our findings revealed that higher concentrations (24 mM) of metformin corresponded to a reduced number of cell spheres, consistent with results reported by other research groups. These observations suggest that optical microscopy is a viable technique for monitoring the short-term effects of metformin on melanoma CSCs.
Subjects
3D
cancer stem cells
in vitro
melanoma
metformin
Type
journal article