Phenformin Inhibits Myofibroblast Differentiation in Dupuytren’s Contracture Cel

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Blackbeard

Phenformin Inhibits Myofibroblast Differentiation in Dupuytren's Contracture Cells Treated with TGF-β1

Metformin and phenformin have been used to help treat type-2 diabetes. Recently, these two compounds have been found to have antifibrotic effects in tissues that are proliferative and myofibroblast-rich. Metformin and phenformin could be utilized to help treat Dupuytren's contracture by inhibiting the differentiation of myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts are characterized by an abundance of alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) within stress fibers in the cytoplasm of the cell. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) has been used to upregulate the formation of αSMA and used to promote myofibroblast differentiation. Myofibroblast differentiation is thought to be inhibited by metformin and phenformin because they activate the AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) pathway. This pathway has been found to inhibit TGF-β1 induced myofibroblast differentiation.