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Updated: Sep 6, 2025

Human Primary Trophoblast Cell Culture Model to Study the Protective Effects of Melatonin Against Hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced Disruption
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Published on: July 30, 2016

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Oncostatic activities of melatonin: Roles in cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy

Niloufar Targhazeh1, Russel J Reiter2, Mahdi Rahimi3

  • 1Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Biochimie
|June 25, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Melatonin, a pineal gland hormone, shows promise in cancer treatment by inhibiting tumor growth and spread. It influences cell cycle, apoptosis, and telomerase activity, offering potential anti-cancer strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Melatonin, the primary pineal gland hormone, regulates circadian rhythms and exhibits significant oncostatic functions in various human malignancies.
  • Its anti-cancer properties are attributed to its ability to act as a differentiating agent and reduce cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis.
  • Melatonin interacts with specific receptors (MT1, MT2) and intracellular targets, influencing neoplastic processes.

Approach:

  • This review synthesizes current research on melatonin's oncostatic activities, focusing on its role in cell cycle regulation.
  • It examines melatonin's modulatory effects on key cell cycle regulators, apoptosis, and telomerase activity.
  • The review also considers melatonin's interactions with various cellular pathways, including anti-proliferative, immune-stimulatory, and anti-angiogenic mechanisms.

Key Points:

  • Melatonin demonstrates oncostatic effects across numerous cancers, including prostate, breast, liver, and lung cancer.
  • It inhibits cancer cell proliferation, modulates the cell cycle, induces apoptosis and autophagy, and suppresses angiogenesis.
  • Melatonin's mechanisms involve direct interaction with cell cycle regulators, apoptosis pathways, and telomerase, as well as indirect immune modulation.

Conclusions:

  • Melatonin is a promising molecule with diverse oncostatic activities, particularly in regulating cell cycle control, apoptosis, and telomerase.
  • Its multifaceted mechanisms offer potential therapeutic strategies for various human cancers.
  • Further investigation into melatonin's role in cancer treatment is warranted.
Keywords:
Anti-cancerApoptosisAutophagyCell cycleMelatonin

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