Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs
Brain tumors are complex, heterogeneous malignancies, often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence suggests the important role of metabolic syndrome, such as that observed in diabetes mellitus, in the progression of brain tumors. Several studies indicated that hypergl...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Pharmacological Research |
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| author | Young-Kook Kim Juhyun Song |
| author_facet | Young-Kook Kim Juhyun Song |
| author_sort | Young-Kook Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brain tumors are complex, heterogeneous malignancies, often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence suggests the important role of metabolic syndrome, such as that observed in diabetes mellitus, in the progression of brain tumors. Several studies indicated that hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and altered adipokine profiles influence tumor growth, proliferation, and treatment resistance. Intriguingly, antidiabetic drugs (e.g., metformin, sulfonylureas, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and thiazolidinediones) have shown promise as adjunctive or repurposed agents in managing brain tumors. Metformin can impair tumor cell proliferation, enhance treatment sensitivity, and modify the tumor microenvironment by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists can target both metabolic and inflammatory aspects of brain tumors, while thiazolidinediones may induce apoptosis in tumor cells and synergize with other therapeutics. Consequently, further studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy, safety, and utility of metabolic interventions in treating brain tumors. Here, we review the evidence for the metabolic interconnections between metabolic diseases and brain tumors and multiple actions of anti-diabetes drugs in brain tumors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e00a06f7b3104383b0a952ea5aec543e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1096-1186 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacological Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-e00a06f7b3104383b0a952ea5aec543e2025-08-20T03:14:08ZengElsevierPharmacological Research1096-11862025-05-0121510771910.1016/j.phrs.2025.107719Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugsYoung-Kook Kim0Juhyun Song1Department of Biochemistry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, 58128, Republic of Korea; Correspondence to: Department of Biochemistry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do 58128, Republic of Korea.Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, 58128, Republic of Korea; Correspondence to: Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do 58128, Republic of Korea.Brain tumors are complex, heterogeneous malignancies, often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence suggests the important role of metabolic syndrome, such as that observed in diabetes mellitus, in the progression of brain tumors. Several studies indicated that hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and altered adipokine profiles influence tumor growth, proliferation, and treatment resistance. Intriguingly, antidiabetic drugs (e.g., metformin, sulfonylureas, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and thiazolidinediones) have shown promise as adjunctive or repurposed agents in managing brain tumors. Metformin can impair tumor cell proliferation, enhance treatment sensitivity, and modify the tumor microenvironment by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists can target both metabolic and inflammatory aspects of brain tumors, while thiazolidinediones may induce apoptosis in tumor cells and synergize with other therapeutics. Consequently, further studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy, safety, and utility of metabolic interventions in treating brain tumors. Here, we review the evidence for the metabolic interconnections between metabolic diseases and brain tumors and multiple actions of anti-diabetes drugs in brain tumors.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825001446Brain tumorMetabolic syndromeAntidiabetic drugsDiabetesObesity |
| spellingShingle | Young-Kook Kim Juhyun Song Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs Pharmacological Research Brain tumor Metabolic syndrome Antidiabetic drugs Diabetes Obesity |
| title | Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs |
| title_full | Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs |
| title_fullStr | Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs |
| title_short | Metabolic imbalance and brain tumors: The interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs |
| title_sort | metabolic imbalance and brain tumors the interlinking metabolic pathways and therapeutic actions of antidiabetic drugs |
| topic | Brain tumor Metabolic syndrome Antidiabetic drugs Diabetes Obesity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825001446 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT youngkookkim metabolicimbalanceandbraintumorstheinterlinkingmetabolicpathwaysandtherapeuticactionsofantidiabeticdrugs AT juhyunsong metabolicimbalanceandbraintumorstheinterlinkingmetabolicpathwaysandtherapeuticactionsofantidiabeticdrugs |