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A Simple and Efficient Method for In Vivo Cardiac-specific Gene Manipulation by Intramyocardial Injection in Mice
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Metabolic Anti-Cancer Effects of Melatonin: Clinically Relevant Prospects

Marek Samec1, Alena Liskova1, Lenka Koklesova1

  • 1Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia.

Cancers
|July 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Melatonin, a natural hormone, demonstrates significant anticancer effects by regulating key cancer metabolism pathways. Further research into melatonin

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Metabolic pathways
  • Hormone research

Background:

  • Metabolic reprogramming is crucial for cancer development.
  • Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a hormone with known anti-tumor properties.
  • Melatonin influences circadian rhythms and possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of melatonin in regulating cancer metabolism.
  • To explore melatonin's impact on key metabolic pathways in cancer cells.
  • To assess melatonin's potential as an anti-cancer therapeutic agent.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of melatonin's effects on aerobic glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP).
  • Evaluation of melatonin's influence on glucose transporter (GLUT) expression and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity.
  • Examination of melatonin's modulation of cancer-related factors like HIF-1 and p53.

Main Results:

  • Melatonin significantly impacts key components of cancer cell metabolism.
  • Melatonin treatment alters glucose metabolism, including GLUT expression and G6PDH activity.
  • Melatonin effectively modulates critical cancer development players such as HIF-1 and p53.

Conclusions:

  • Melatonin exhibits notable anti-cancer effects across malignancy initiation, progression, and metastasis.
  • Melatonin's regulation of cancer metabolism offers potential for innovative cancer prevention and therapy.
  • Further research on melatonin's metabolic impacts is crucial for developing targeted cancer treatments.
Keywords:
Warburg effectanti-depressantanti-inflammatoryanti-tumorantioxidantcancermelatoninmetabolismmitochondrial dysfunctionpredictive preventive personalized medicine (PPPM/3PM)

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