Metformin prevents high-glucose-induced endothelial cell death through a mitochondrial permeability transition-dependent process.

Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress is detrimental for endothelial cells, contributing to the vascular complications of diabetes. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP) is an oxidative stress-sensitive channel involved in cell death; therefore, we have examined its potential role in endothelial cells exposed to oxidative stress or high glucose level. Metformin, an antihyperglycemic agent used in type 2 diabetes, was also investigated because it inhibits PTP opening in transformed cell lines. Cyclosporin A (CsA), the reference PTP inhibitor, and a therapeutic dose of metformin (100 micromol/l) led to PTP inhibition in permeabilized human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). Furthermore, exposure of intact HMEC-1 or primary endothelial cells from either human umbilical vein or bovine aorta to the oxidizing agent tert-butylhydroperoxide or to 30 mmol/l glucose triggered PTP opening, cytochrome c decompartmentalization, and cell death. CsA or metformin prevented all of these effects. The antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine also prevented hyperglycemia-induced apoptosis. We conclude that 1) elevated glucose concentration leads to an oxidative stress that favors PTP opening and subsequent cell death in several endothelial cell types and 2) metformin prevents this PTP opening-related cell death. We propose that metformin improves diabetes-associated vascular disease both by lowering blood glucose and by its effect on PTP regulation.