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Melatonin has been experimentally implicated in skin functions such as hair growth cycling, fur pigmentation, and melanoma control, and melatonin receptors are expressed in several skin cells including normal and malignant keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts. Melatonin is also able to suppress ultraviolet (U)-induced damage to skin cells and shows strong antioxidant activity in Uexposed cells...
Melatonin, dubbed the hormone of darkness, is known to regulate a wide variety of physiological processes in mammals. This review describes well-defined functional responses mediated through activation of high-affinity MT1 and MT2 proteinteoupled receptors viewed as potential targets for drug discovery. MT1 melatonin receptors modulate neuronal firing, arterial vasoconstriction, cell proliferation...
Many physiologic changes related to lightdark cycles and antioxidant effects have been related to melatonin (N-acetyl-5methoxytryptamine) and its metabolites, N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5methoxykynuramine AMK) and N1-acetyl-5methoxykynuramine AMK). In this review, we discuss some methodologies, in particular, those employing high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HP (MS/MS)assays...
This review summarizes the numerous observations published in recent years which have shown that one of the most significant of melatonin’s pleiotropic effects is the regulation of the immune system. The overview summarizes the immune effects of pinealectomy and the association between rhythmic melatonin production and adjustments in the immune system as markers of melatonin’s immunomodulatory actions...
Physiological and pharmacological blood concentrations of melatonin inhibit tumorigenesis in a variety of in vivo and in vitro experimental models of neoplasia. Evidence indicates that melatonin’s anticancer effects are exerted via inhibition of cell proliferation and a stimulation of differentiation and apoptosis. A new mechanism by which physiological and pharmacological blood levels of melatonin...
Ischemia/reperfusion is a frequently encountered phenomenon in organisms. Prolonged ischemia followed then by reperfusion results in severe oxidative injury in tissues and organs; however, some species can tolerate such events better than others. In nature, arousal from hibernation and resurfacing from diving causes animals to experience classic ischemia/reperfusion and somehow, these animals cope...
Melatonin has been shown to protect against oxidative stress in various, highly divergent experimental systems. There are many reasons for its remarkable protective potential. Signaling effects comprise the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutases, peroxidases, and enzymes of glutathione supply, downregulation of prooxidant enzymes, such as nitric oxide synthases and lipoxygenases,...
The high incidence of age-related diseases in the increasing population of elderly people has stimulated interest in the search for protective agents that have the capability of preventing premature aging and delaying the onset of degenerative disorders. To preserve health in old age becomes a primary goal for biomedicine, because the increasing longevity in our societies is associated with a rise...
The presence of nitric oxide (NO·) in the mitochondria led to analysis of its source and functions in mitochondrial homeostasis. Studies have revealed the existence of a mtNOS isoform with similar features to nNOS, with some post-traslational modifications, although without the typical signal peptide responsible for addressing proteins to mitochondrion. This isoform may account for the physiological...
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. It is characterized by a progressive loss of dopamine in the substantia nigra and striatum. However, over 70% of dopaminergic neuronal death occurs before the first symptoms appear, which makes either early diagnosis or effective treatments extremely difficult. Only symptomatic therapies have been...
In all vertebrates, melatonin is rhythmically synthesized in the pineal gland and functions as a hormonal message, encoding for the duration of night. In rodents, the nocturnal rise and fall of the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) activity controls the rhythmic synthesis of melatonin. This rhythm is centered around the transcriptional regulation of the AA-NAT by two norepinephrine-inducible...
Melatonin, which is synthesized in the pineal gland and other tissues, has a variety of physiological, immunological, and biochemical functions. It is a direct scavenger of free radicals and has indirect antioxidant effects due to its stimulation of the expression and activity of antioxidative enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, and NO synthase, in mammalian...
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