Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most intransigent and aggressive brain tumors, and its treatment is extremely challenging and ineffective. To improve patients’ expectancy and quality of life, new therapeutic approaches were investigated. Melatonin is an endogenous indoleamine with an incr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/9/3/599 |
| _version_ | 1797763207975141376 |
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| author | Enrico Moretti Gaia Favero Luigi Fabrizio Rodella Rita Rezzani |
| author_facet | Enrico Moretti Gaia Favero Luigi Fabrizio Rodella Rita Rezzani |
| author_sort | Enrico Moretti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most intransigent and aggressive brain tumors, and its treatment is extremely challenging and ineffective. To improve patients’ expectancy and quality of life, new therapeutic approaches were investigated. Melatonin is an endogenous indoleamine with an incredible variety of properties. Due to evidence demonstrating melatonin’s activity against several cancer hallmarks, there is growing interest in its use for preventing and treating cancer. In this review, we report on the potential effects of melatonin, alone or in combination with anticancer drugs, against GBM. We also summarize melatonin targets and/or the intracellular pathways involved. Moreover, we describe melatonin’s epigenetic activity responsible for its antineoplastic effects. To date, there are too few clinical studies (involving a small number of patients) investigating the antineoplastic effects of melatonin against GBM. Nevertheless, these studies described improvement of GBM patients’ quality of life and did not show significant adverse effects. In this review, we also report on studies regarding melatonin-like molecules with the tumor-suppressive properties of melatonin together with implemented pharmacokinetics. Melatonin effects and mechanisms of action against GBM require more research attention due to the unquestionably high potential of this multitasking indoleamine in clinical practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:38:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-460787ecaf2b4e5da092f45c56159f66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:38:15Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-460787ecaf2b4e5da092f45c56159f662023-08-02T03:59:21ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092020-03-019359910.3390/cells9030599cells9030599Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against GlioblastomaEnrico Moretti0Gaia Favero1Luigi Fabrizio Rodella2Rita Rezzani3Anatomy and Physiopathology Division, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, ItalyAnatomy and Physiopathology Division, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, ItalyAnatomy and Physiopathology Division, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, ItalyAnatomy and Physiopathology Division, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, ItalyGlioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most intransigent and aggressive brain tumors, and its treatment is extremely challenging and ineffective. To improve patients’ expectancy and quality of life, new therapeutic approaches were investigated. Melatonin is an endogenous indoleamine with an incredible variety of properties. Due to evidence demonstrating melatonin’s activity against several cancer hallmarks, there is growing interest in its use for preventing and treating cancer. In this review, we report on the potential effects of melatonin, alone or in combination with anticancer drugs, against GBM. We also summarize melatonin targets and/or the intracellular pathways involved. Moreover, we describe melatonin’s epigenetic activity responsible for its antineoplastic effects. To date, there are too few clinical studies (involving a small number of patients) investigating the antineoplastic effects of melatonin against GBM. Nevertheless, these studies described improvement of GBM patients’ quality of life and did not show significant adverse effects. In this review, we also report on studies regarding melatonin-like molecules with the tumor-suppressive properties of melatonin together with implemented pharmacokinetics. Melatonin effects and mechanisms of action against GBM require more research attention due to the unquestionably high potential of this multitasking indoleamine in clinical practice.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/9/3/599glioblastomamelatoninantineoplastic effect |
| spellingShingle | Enrico Moretti Gaia Favero Luigi Fabrizio Rodella Rita Rezzani Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma Cells glioblastoma melatonin antineoplastic effect |
| title | Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma |
| title_full | Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma |
| title_fullStr | Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma |
| title_short | Melatonin’s Antineoplastic Potential Against Glioblastoma |
| title_sort | melatonin s antineoplastic potential against glioblastoma |
| topic | glioblastoma melatonin antineoplastic effect |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/9/3/599 |
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