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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · rat · 2021

1 result

Metformin Protects against NMDA-Induced Retinal Injury through the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway in Rats.

Watanabe K, Asano D, Ushikubo H, Morita A, Mori A, Sakamoto K, Ishii K, Nakahara T

International journal of molecular sciences23 Apr 2021Cited by 23 (Europe PMC)

PMID33922757 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC8123037 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3390/ijms22094439 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-33922757
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Summary

Metformin, an anti-hyperglycemic drug of the biguanide class, exerts positive effects in several non-diabetes-related diseases. In this study, we aimed to examine the protective effects of metformin against N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)-induced excitotoxic retinal damage in rats and determine the mechanisms of its protective effects. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (7 to 9 weeks old) were used in this study. Following intravitreal injection of NMDA (200 nmol/eye), the number of neuronal cells in the ganglion cell layer and parvalbumin-positive amacrine cells decreased, whereas the number of CD45-positive leukocytes and Iba1-positive microglia increased. Metformin attenuated these NMDA-induced responses. The neuroprotective effect of metformin was abolished by compound C, an inhibitor of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The AMPK activator, AICAR, exerted a neuroprotective effect in NMDA-induced retinal injury. The MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126, reduced the neuroprotective effect of metformin. These results suggest that metformin protects against NMDA-induced retinal neurotoxicity through activation of the AMPK and MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. This neuroprotective effect could be partially attributable to the inhibitory effects on inflammatory responses.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study1

1 result from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In rats with NMDA-induced retinal injury, AICAR exerted a neuroprotective effect.

    In plain wordsIn rats with chemically induced retinal injury, AICAR protected nerve cells.

    Peptide
    AICAR (acadesine)
    Outcome
    IncreaseRetinal neuroprotection
    Study

    ratn: not reported in source

    NMDA-induced retinal injury in male Sprague-Dawley rats
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Eye
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The AMPK activator, AICAR, exerted a neuroprotective effect in NMDA-induced retinal injury.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Male Sprague-Dawley rats (7 to 9 weeks old) were used in this study.

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Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    21 Oct 2026, 15:58 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    21 Oct 2026, 12:50 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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