Metformin alters DNA methylation genome-wide via the H19/SAHH axis

To determine whether exposure of endometrial cancer cells to metformin would induce changes in global DNA methylation, ARK2 cells were incubated with metformin for 48 h, followed by genome-scale DNA methylation profiling using platform of an improved version of Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS). Metformin treatment led to extensive methylation changes genome-wide compared to control-treated cells. We found 2000 genes became hypermethylated, and 2000 genes became hypomethylated in ARK2 treatment group. Overall design: ARK2 cells were incubated with metformin for 48 h, cellular genomic DNA was extracted and subjected to genome-scale DNA methylation mapping using the platform of an improved version of Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS).