system
Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Antineoplastic Agents, Cell Line, Tumor, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Hedgehog Proteins, Humans, Metformin, Pancreatic Neoplasms, RNA, Messenger, Signal Transduction.
user
Does metformin suppress sonic hedgehog expression in pancreatic cancer cells? Context: Metformin use has previously been associated with decreased cancer risk. The Hedgehog signaling pathway is a well-characterized early and late mediator of pancreatic cancer oncogenesis. The aim of the present study was to clarify the effect of metformin on factors involved in Hedgehog signaling. BxPC3 human pancreatic cancer cells were treated with metformin, and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) mRNA and protein levels were examined by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting, respectively. The effect of metformin on Shh levels was also examined in three other cancer cell lines. Shh protein and mRNA expression was suppressed by metformin in BxPC3 cells. This phenomenon was further confirmed in three other cancer cell lines. Shh mRNA expression was inhibited by metformin in a concentration-dependent manner in two cancer cell lines.
assistant
Metformin reduces the expression of Shh in several cancer cell lines including pancreatic cancer cell. Final Decision: yes