Figure 4.

Metformin inhibits miR-34a-3p expression and activates the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in DPSCs. Young and aging DPSCs were treated with 100 μM metformin for 48 h. (a) Relative expression levels of miR-34a-3p and (b) CAB39 were determined by RT-qPCR. (c) Representative blots of p-AMPK, AMPK, p-mTOR, and mTOR protein expression levels. (d) Quantitative analysis of the proportion of p-AMPK/AMPK and p-mTOR/mTOR. Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (n = 3). ^∗∗p < 0.01, with comparisons indicated by lines.