Search results for "Melatonin"
showing 10 items of 165 documents
Inhibition of VEGF expression through blockade of Hif1a and STAT3 signalling mediates the anti-angiogenic effect of melatonin in HepG2 liver cancer c…
2013
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth relies on angiogenesis via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release. Hypoxia within tumour environment leads to intracellular stabilisation of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (Hif1α) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3). Melatonin induces apoptosis in HCC, and shows anti-angiogenic features in several tumours. In this study, we used human HepG2 liver cancer cells as an in vitro model to investigate the anti-angiogenic effects of melatonin. Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with melatonin under normoxic or CoCl2-induced hypoxia. Gene expression was analysed by RT–qPCR and western blot. Melatonin-induced anti-…
Differential Effects of Fluvoxamine and Other Antidepressants on the Biotransformation of Melatonin
2001
Melatonin, the predominant product of the pineal gland, is involved in the maintenance of diurnal rhythms. Nocturnal blood concentrations of melatonin have been shown to be enhanced by fluvoxamine, but not by other serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Because fluvoxamine is an inhibitor of several cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, the authors studied the biotransformation of melatonin and the effects of fluvoxamine on the metabolism of melatonin in vitro using human liver microsomes and recombinant human CYP isoenzymes. Melatonin was found to be almost exclusively metabolized by CYP1A2 to 6-hydroxymelatonin and N-acetylserotonin with a minimal contribution of CYP2C19. Both reactions were potently in…
Melatonin Inhibits Inflammatory Response of Intestinal Epithelial Cells
2017
Melatonin, oral-used in sleep disorders treatment, is the main secretory product of the pineal gland and in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in which it has a local physiological poorly characterized role. Intraperitoneally-administered high dose has anti-inflammatory effects in experimental model of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases but the mechanisms is unclarified. Literature data show that melatonin inhibits the activation of neutrophils and monocytes and it is therefore conceivable that it has also inhibitory effect on mucosal inflammatory cell activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate in an in vitro model of inflamed intestinal epithelium the potential protective effects of melatonin. D…
Guest-to-host proton transfer in melatonin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex by ionspray, fast atom bombardment and tandem mass spectrometry.
2001
Ionspray (IS) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) positive ionization mass spectrometry (MS) of 1:1 β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-melatonin (MLT) host-guest complex allowed the detection of gaseous protonated 1:1 β-CD-MLT. Tandem MS collision-induced dissociation (CID) of such protonated 1:1 β-CD-MLT species showed the proton (charge) to be retained to a significant extent by the host and by its cage fragmentation products, in spite of the higher proton affinity of MLT with respect to that of β-CD. This requires an endothermic guest-to-host proton transfer to occur within the gaseous association. Collisional activation could be accounted for by the promotion of such an endothermic process; however…
Synthesis of new melatoninergic hexahydroindenopyridines
2014
Hexahydroindenopyridine (HHIP) is an interesting heterocyclic framework that contains an indene core similar to ramelteon. This type of tricyclic piperidines aroused our interest as potential melatoninergic ligands. Melatonin receptor ligands have applications in insomnia and depression. We report herein an efficient two-step method to prepare new HHIP by the reaction of an enamine with 3-bromopropylamine hydrobromide. Some synthesized compounds showed moderate affinity for melatonin receptors in the nanomolar or low micromolar range. Furthermore, the methylenedioxy HHIPs 2d (N-phenylacetamide) and 2f (N,N-diethylacetamide), exhibited high selectivity at MT1 or MT2 receptors, respectively, …
Synthesis and Characterization of New Bivalent Agents as Melatonin- and Histamine H3-Ligands
2014
Melatonin is an endogenous molecule involved in many pathophysiological processes. In addition to the control of circadian rhythms, its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties have been widely described. Thus far, different bivalent compounds composed by a melatonin molecule linked to another neuroprotective agent were synthesized and tested for their ability to block neurodegenerative processes in vitro and in vivo. To identify a novel class of potential neuroprotective compounds, we prepared a series of bivalent ligands, in which a prototypic melatonergic ligand is connected to an imidazole-based H3 receptor antagonist through a flexible linker. Four imidazolyl-alkyloxy-anilinoethylami…
Efficient synthesis of hexahydroindenopyridines and their potential as melatoninergic ligands.
2014
Hexahydroindenopyridine (HHIP) is an interesting tricyclic piperidine nucleus that is structurally related to melatonin, a serotonin-derived neurohormone. Melatonin receptor ligands have applications in several cellular, neuroendocrine and neurophysiological disorders, including depression and/or insomnia. We report herein an efficient two-step method to prepare new HHIP via enamine C-alkylation-cyclization. The influence of substituents on the benzene ring and the nitrogen atom on melatoninergic receptors has been studied. Among the 25 synthesized HHIPs, some of them containing methylenedioxy (series 2) and 8-chloro-7-methoxy substituents (series 4) on the benzene ring revealed affinity fo…
Circadian and Infradian Activity Rhythms in the Mammalian Pineal Body
1982
The neuroendocrine nature of the pineal organ is well established. Linked to the optic system via postganglionic sympathetic fibres coming from the superior cervical ganglia, the parenchymal cells of the pineal synthesize serotonin from tryptophan and convert it to melatonin, the most widely studied pineal substance, and other indoleamines. Melatonin synthesis is stimulated by noradrenaline released from intrapineal sympathetic nerve fibres, involving β-adrenergic mechanisms and the adenyl cyclase-cAMP-system. The rate-limiting enzyme of melatonin formation is serotonin-N-acetyltransferase (NAT) that converts serotonin to N-acetylserotonin. Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) catalyze…
Melatonin induces transcriptional regulation of Bim by FoxO3a in HepG2 cells
2012
Background: Melatonin induces apoptosis in many different cancer cell lines, including hepatocellular carcinoma cells. However, the responsible pathways have not been clearly elucidated. A member of the forkhead transcription factors' family, FoxO3a, has been implicated in the expression of the proapoptotic protein Bim (a Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death). In this study, we used human HepG2 liver cancer cells as an in vitro model to investigate whether melatonin treatment induces Bim through regulation by the transcription factor FoxO3a. Methods: Cytotoxicity of melatonin was compared in HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells and primary human hepatocytes. Proapoptotic Bim expression was analys…
Inclusion complexes of cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins) with melatonin in solid phase
2005
Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD) investigations were carried out on MLT plus α-, β- and γ-CD physical mixtures and lyophilized or crystalline MLT/α-, β-, γ-CD complexes. Inclusion complexes formation between MLT and cyclodextrins in solid phase has been emphasized by the significant differences between IR and XRD spectra of physical mixtures with respect to those of the complexes. The structure of MLT CDs complexes in the solid state as well as the biochemical and pharmaceutical implications are discussed.