Rosiglitazone metformin adduct inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation via activation of AMPK/p21 pathway

BACKGROUND: Rosiglitazone metformin adduct (RZM) is a novel compound, synthesized from rosiglitazone (Ros) and metformin (Met) combined at a molar mass ratio of 1:1. Met and Ros are widely used together for treating type 2 diabetes to improve drug effectiveness and reduce adverse drug reactions. Recent studies reported that both Met and Ros may possess antineoplastic properties in several cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the effects of RZM in HCC and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. METHODS: RZM was synthesized from Ros and Met at an equal molar ratio and identified by infrared spectroscopy. MTS and colony formation assays were performed to detect proliferative repression of RZM, the mixture, Met and Ros, respectively. Tumorigenesis assay in vivo was used to confirm the anti-tumorigenesis potential of RZM and Met. Moreover, cellular apoptosis caused by RZM was analyzed by hoechst staining assay and flow cytometry. RT-qPCR and western blotting were performed to reveal mechanisms for the function of RZM. RESULTS: Both in vitro and in vivo data showed that low doses of RZM enhanced inhibitory effect on HCC cells growth compared with Met. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that treatment with RZM at 1 mM for 48 h triggered HCC cells apoptosis. RT-qPCR and western blotting analyses showed that p21 was upregulated in response to 1 mM RZM treatment. Furthermore, RZM could increase AMPK activation compared with Met. The increased p21 expression induced by RZM treatment was attenuated by an AMPK inhibitor compound C. CONCLUSIONS: All these observations demonstrate that RZM increases the antiproliferative effect of Met in HCC via upregulating p21 expression in an AMPK-dependent manner. Our results suggest that RZM has the potential to be an adjuvant for HCC therapy. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-019-0732-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.