Melatonin and Other Tryptophan Metabolites Produced by Yeasts: Implications in Cardiovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Yeast metabolism produces compounds derived from tryptophan, which are found in fermented beverages, such as wine and beer. Melatonin and serotonin, in particular, may play a significant role due to their bioactivity in humans. Indeed, the former is a neurohormone related to circadiam rhythms, which also has a putative protective effect against degenerative diseases. Serotonin, on the other hand, is a neurotransmitter itself, in addition to being a precursor of melatonin synthesis. This paper summarizes data reported on fermented beverages, to evaluate dietary intake. Additionally, the article reviews observed effects of yeast amino acid metabolites on the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s) and angiogenesis, focusing on evidence of the molecular mechanism involved and identification of molecular target

What is known about melatonin, chemotherapy and altered gene expression in breast cancer

Melatonin, synthesized in and released from the pineal gland, has been demonstrated by multiple in vivo and in vitro studies to have an oncostatic role in hormone?dependent tumors. Furthermore, several clinical trials point to melatonin as a promising adjuvant molecule to be considered for cancer treatment. In the past few years, evidence of a broader spectrum of action of melatonin as an antitumor agent has arisen; thus, melatonin appears to also have therapeutic effects in several types of hormone?independent cancer, including ovarian, leukemic, pancreatic, gastric and non?small cell lung carcinoma. In the present study, the latest findings regarding melatonin molecular actions when concomitantly administered with either radiotherapy or chemotherapy in cancer were reviewed, with a particular focus on hormone?dependent breast cancer. Finally, the present study discusses which direction should be followed in the next years to definitely clarify whether or not melatonin administration could protect against non?desirable effects (such as altered gene expression and post?translational protein modifications) caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments. As treatments move towards personalized medicine, comparative gene expression profiling with and without melatonin may be a powerful tool to better understand the antitumor effects of melatonin, the pineal gland hormone

Avaliação da angiogênese em resposta ao tratamento com melatonina no câncer de mama: estudo in vitro e in vivo

Breast cancer has high rates of incidence and mortality, and it is the most common cancer among women. The rapid tumor growth results in hypoxia on tumor microenvironment, leading to a cascade of events that induce angiogenesis and subsequent cancer progression. Thus, the identification of therapeutic agents that can inhibit angiogenesis is essential for the control of tumor progression. Exogenous administration of melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, has been shown several oncostatics effects on different types of cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of melatonin treatment on angiogenesis in breast cancer, in the in vitro and in vivo studies. In the in vitro study, breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) were treated with melatonin under cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-induced hypoxic conditions. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay, the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) was assessed by real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. Additionally, other proteins involved in angiogenesis were evaluated by the Protein Array. In the in vivo study, the MDA-MB-231 cells were implanted in athymic nude mice, which were treated with melatonin (40 mg/kg) for 21 days. The tumor was measured weekly and evaluation of angiogenesis was performed by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with Tc-99m-HYNIC-VEGF-c, which is specific for VEGF receptors (VEGFR2/VEGF3). Moreover, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, von Willebrand factor (vWF) and cell proliferation marker (Ki-67) were evaluated in tumor tissue by immunohistochemistry, and other angiogenic proteins by Protein Array. Results from the in vitro study showed that 1 mM of melatonin under hypoxic conditions (200 μM CoCl2) led to decreased cell viability, protein levels of HIF- 1α and gene and protein expression of VEGF-A in both cell lines (p < 0.05). Among other proteins evaluated, melatonin ...O câncer de mama apresenta altas taxas de incidência e mortalidade, sendo a neoplasia mais comum entre as mulheres. O rápido crescimento do tumor resulta em hipóxia no microambiente tumoral, levando a uma cascata de eventos que induzem a angiogênese e conseqüente progressão do câncer. Assim, a identificação de agentes terapêuticos que possam inibir a angiogênese é essencial para o controle da progressão tumoral. Nesse sentido, tem sido demonstrado que a administração exógena da melatonina, um hormônio naturalmente secretado pela glândula pineal, apresenta diversos efeitos oncostáticos em diferentes tipos de câncer. Assim, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a efetividade do tratamento com melatonina sobre a angiogênese do câncer de mama, em estudos in vitro e in vivo. No estudo in vitro, as linhagens de câncer de mama MCF-7 e MDA-MB-231 foram tratadas com melatonina sob condições de hipóxia mimetizadas pelo Cloreto de Cobalto (CoCl2). A viabilidade celular foi verificada pelo ensaio MTT, a expressão do fator de transcrição induzido por hipóxia (HIF-1α) e do fator de crescimento endotelial vascular (VEGF-A) foi avaliada por PCR em tempo real e imunocitoquímica. Além disso, demais proteínas envolvidas na angiogênese foram avaliadas por Protein Array. No estudo in vivo, as células MDA-MB-231 foram implantadas em camundongos nude atímicos, os quais foram tratados com melatonina (40 mg/kg) por 21 dias. O tumor foi medido semanalmente e a avaliação da angiogênese foi realizada pela técnica de tomografia computadorizada por emissão de fóton único (SPECT), com o radiotraçador Tc- 99m-HYNIC-VEGF-c, agente específico para os receptores de VEGF (VEGFR2/VEGF3). Além disso, as proteínas VEGFR2, VEGFR3, fator de fator de von Willebrand (vWF) e marcador de proliferação celular (Ki-67) foram avaliados no tecido tumoral por imuno-histoquímica, e demais proteínas angiogênicas por Protein Array. O estudo in ...Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Melatonin Treatment: A Transcriptomic Networks In A Xenograft Model Of Breast Cancer

774San Antonio Breast Cancer SymposiumDEC 06-10, 2016San Antonio, T

Molecular markers of angiogenesis and metastasis in lines of oral carcinoma after treatment with melatonin

Background: Oral cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer and its high rate of mortality and morbidity is closely related to the processes of angiogenesis and tumor metastasis. The overexpression of the pro-angiogenic genes, HIF-1 alpha and VEGF, and pro-metastatic gene, ROCK-1, are associated with unfavorable prognosis in oral carcinoma. Melatonin has oncostatic, antiangiogenic and antimetastatic properties in several types of neoplasms, although its relationship with oral cancer has been little explored. This study aims to analyze the expression of the genes HIF-1 alpha, VEGF and ROCK-1 in cell lines of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, after treatment with melatonin.Methods: SCC9 and SCC25 cells were cultured and cell viability was assessed by MTT assay, after treatment with 100 mu M of CoCl2 to induce hypoxia and with melatonin at different concentrations. The analysis of quantitative RT-PCR and the immunocytochemical analysis were performed to verify the action of melatonin under conditions of normoxia and hypoxia, on gene and protein expression of HIF-1 alpha, VEGF and ROCK-1.Results: The MTT assay showed a decrease in cell viability in both cell lines, after the treatment with melatonin. The analysis of quantitative RT-PCR indicated an inhibition of the expression of the pro-angiogenic genes HIF-1 alpha (P < 0.001) and VEGF (P < 0.001) under hypoxic conditions, and of the pro-metastatic gene ROCK-1 (P < 0.0001) in the cell line SCC9, after treatment with 1 mM of melatonin. In the immunocytochemical analysis, there was a positive correlation with gene expression data, validating the quantitative RT-PCR results for cell line SCC9. Treatment with melatonin did not demonstrate inhibition of the expression of genes HIF-1 alpha, VEGF and ROCK-1 in line SCC25, which has different molecular characteristics and greater degree of malignancy when compared to the line SCC9.Conclusion: Melatonin affects cell viability in the SCC9 and SCC25 lines and inhibits the expression of the genes HIF-1 alpha, VEGF and ROCK-1 in SCC9 line. Additional studies may confirm the potential therapeutic effect of melatonin in some subtypes of oral carcinoma.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis shows anti-tumor actions of melatonin in a breast cancer xenograft model

Melatonin is a pleiotropic anti-cancer molecule that controls cancer growth by multiple mechanisms. RNA-Seq can potentially evaluate therapeutic response and its use in xenograft tumor models can differentiate the changes that occur specifically in tumor cells or in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Melatonin actions were evaluated in a xenograft model of triple-negative breast cancer. Balb/c nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 tumors were treated with melatonin or vehicle. RNA-Seq was performed on the Illumina HiSeq. 2500 and data were mapped against human and mouse genomes separately to differentiate species-specific expression. Differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was used to detect clusters of highly coexpressed genes. Melatonin treatment reduced tumor growth (p < 0.01). 57 DE genes were identified in murine cells, which represented the TME, and were mainly involved in immune response. The WGCNA detected co-expressed genes in tumor cells and TME, which were related to the immune system among other biological processes. The upregulation of two genes (Tnfaip8l2 and Il1f6) by melatonin was validated in the TME, these genes play important roles in the immune system. Taken together, the transcriptomic data suggests that melatonin anti-tumor actions occur through modulation of TME in this xenograft tumor model9FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2014/13815-5Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) [2014/13815-5]; Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa e Extensao de Sao Jose do Rio Preto (FAPERP