Stimulatory effects of a melatonin receptor agonist, ramelteon, on BDNF in mouse cerebellar granule cells

Melatonin receptor activation has been linked to the regulation of neurotrophic factors, including the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). To further characterize the effects of melatonin receptor stimulation on neuronal BDNF, we used a clinically available novel agonist for MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors, ramelteon. Primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells (CGC) have been established as an in vitro model for studying neuronal BDNF. We took advantage of the availability of MT1- and MT2-deficient (knockout; KO) mice to employ primary CGC prepared from wild type (WT), MT1 KO, and MT2 KO mice. We investigated the effects of ramelteon on BDNF protein and mRNA content. Administered in a low nanomolar range, ramelteon increased BDNF protein content in all three types of mouse CGC. This ramelteon-triggered BDNF protein elevation was not preceded by a BDNF mRNA increase. However, it was prevented by treatment of cultures with a protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. These results demonstrated that the MT1/MT2 melatonin receptor agonist ramelteon is capable of increasing BDNF protein in neurons expressing either of the two melatonin receptor types and that this action of ramelteon involves translational mechanisms. Further research is needed to explore the putative influence of ramelteon on BDNF-associated neuroplasticity.