Otoprotection of metformin in radiation-induced sensorineural hearing loss
Abstract
Introduction: Radiotherapy can cause permanent hearing loss when the ears are included in the radiation field. To date, no treatment is available to prevent this outcome. The effects of radiation are caused by free radical formation, leading to apoptosis of the cells in the organ of Corti. Metformin has demonstrated anticancer and anti-aging properties through the regulation of reactive oxygen species production after cellular stresses.Objectives: To determine the safety and radio-protective properties of Metformin against radiation-induced cochlear damage in vivo and in vitro. Materials and Methods: For the in vitro study, cultured auditory hair cells (HEI-OC1) were exposed to different concentrations of Metformin to determine its safety. Next, cells were incubated with these concentrations and subjected to radiation. Cell viability after experiments was determined with the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay.For the in-vivo study, 15 guinea pigs were divided in two groups: drinking tap water (n=7) and drinking water containing Metformin (n=8) at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day. The ears of the animals were unilaterally irradiated for 20 days (total dose 71 Gy) and subsequently divided in four groups: Control (n=7), Irradiated (n=7), Metformin (n=8), Experimental (n=8). Distortion Products Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) and Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) were assessed before, one week and six weeks after…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a thesis, done in animal and cell cultures (in vitro), not in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health. Reported size: 8 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Metformin as an adjuvant in breast cancer treatment
- Metformin Lysosomal Targeting: A Novel Aspect to Be Investigated for Metformin Repurposing in Neurodegenerative Diseases?
- Aberrant HSF1 signaling activation underlies metformin amelioration of myocardial infarction in mice
- Metformin induces ZFP36 by mTORC1 inhibition in cervical cancer-derived cell lines
- Protein Interaction Network for Identifying Vascular Response of Metformin (Oral Antidiabetic)
- Preventing Long COVID With Metformin
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.