TY - JOUR AB - Pathological cardiac hypertrophy induced by aging and neurohumoral activation, such as angiotensin II (Ang II) activation, is an independent risk factor for heart failure. The muscle really interesting new gene‑finger protein‑1 (MuRF1) and muscle atrophy F‑box (MAFbx) pathway has been previously reported to be an important mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. Metformin is currently the first‑line blood glucose‑lowering agent that can be useful for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, the potential role of metformin in the modulation of MuRF1 and MAFbx in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy remains poorly understood. The present study used H9c2 cells, a cardiomyocyte cell model. The surface area of cultured rat H9c2 myoblasts was measured and the expression levels of MuRF1 and MAFbx were quantified using western blot or reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. H9c2 cells were transfected with MuRF1 and MAFbx small interfering (si) RNA. The present study revealed that Ang II treatment significantly increased the cell surface area of model cardiomyocytes. Additionally, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) mRNA and protein expression was increased following this treatment. Ang II also downregulated MuRF1 and MAFbx protein and mRNA expression. In the H9C2, treatment with metformin attenuated hypertrophic remodeling. In addition, expression of ANP and BNP was significantly reduced in metformin‑treated H9C2 cells. The results indicated that metformin increased the activity of MuRF1 and MAFbx and upregulated their expression, the knockdown of which resulted in deteriorative Ang II‑induced cell hypertrophy, even following treatment with metformin. Taken together, data from the present study suggest that metformin can prevent cardiac hypertrophy through the MuRF1 and MAFbx pathways. AD - Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550002, P.R. China Department of Nephrology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550002, P.R. China AU - Du,Fawang AU - Cao,Yalin AU - Ran,Yan AU - Wu,Qiang AU - Chen,Baolin DA - 2021/11/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2021.10665 IS - 5 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - metformin cardiomyocyte hypertrophy muscle really interesting new gene‑finger protein‑1 muscle atrophy F‑box PY - 2021 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 1231 ST - Metformin attenuates angiotensin II‑induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by upregulating the MuRF1 and MAFbx pathway T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - Metformin attenuates angiotensin II‑induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by upregulating the MuRF1 and MAFbx pathway UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10665 VL - 22 ER -