Figure 5.
Treatment with metformin activates adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and downregulates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/S6K pathway. Apc Min/+ mice were treated with a basal diet (control, n = 6) and a diet containing metformin (250 mg/kg, n = 6) for 10 weeks. Western blotting was performed using intestinal tumors (>2 mm in diameter) from both groups; five polyps from each mice were analyzed (a total of 60 polyps were assessed). Representative western blotting images are demonstrated. (a) Immunoblotting using antibodies against phosphorylated AMPK and total AMPK. The relative activity of phosphorylated AMPK against total AMPK is demonstrated. (b) Phospho‐mTOR, mTOR and relative activity of mTOR. (c) Phopho‐S6K/S6. (d) Phospho‐p70 protein S6 (S6)/total S6. (e) Western blotting analysis of the expression of AMPK in small intestine, colon and liver from Apc Min/+ mice. glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is shown as a loading control. Bars represent standard error. *a P = 0.0016; *b P = 0.0009; *c P = 0.0103; *d P = 0.0054.