Regulation of cancer cell glucose metabolism is determinant for cancer cell fate after melatonin administration.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to analyze the effects of high concentrations of melatonin on cancer cell metabolism, particularly aerobic glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway.
Results Summary
Melatonin demonstrated antitumor effects by reducing cancer cell growth, with both low and high concentrations showing efficacy. High concentrations were particularly effective in reducing proliferation of resistant cancer types and inducing cell death in some tumors, likely through regulation of glucose metabolism and related pathways.
Population
Cancer cells (in vitro or preclinical models, not specified in abstract).
Effective Dosage
Not specified (low and high concentrations mentioned, but exact amounts not provided).
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Melatonin | decrease | cell growth | - | - | present numerous antitumor effects | #1 |
Melatonin | decrease | cell growth | - | - | reduced cell growth | #2 |
high concentrations of melatonin | decrease | proliferation | cancer types resistant to low concentrations | - | reduce proliferation | #3 |
high concentrations of melatonin | increase | cell death | some types of tumors | - | induce cell death | #4 |
high concentration of melatonin | neutral | glucose metabolism and other related pathways | - | - | play an important role in the antitumoral effects | #5 |
Several oncogenic pathways plus local microenvironmental conditions, such as hypoxia, converge on the regulation of cancer cells metabolism. The major metabolic alteration consists of a shift from oxidative phosphorylation as the major glucose consumer to aerobic glycolysis, although most of cancer cells utilize both pathways to a greater or lesser extent. Aerobic glycolysis, together with the directly related metabolic pathways such as the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway, or gluconeogenesis are currently considered as therapeutic targets in cancer research. Melatonin has been reported to present numerous antitumor effects, which result in a reduced cell growth. This is achieved with both low and high concentrations with no relevant side effects. Indeed, high concentrations of this indolamine reduce proliferation of cancer types resistant to low concentrations and induce cell death in some types of tumors. Previous work suggest that regulation of glucose metabolism and other related pathways play an important role in the antitumoral effects of high concentration of melatonin. In the present review, we analyze recent work on the regulation by such concentrations of this indolamine on aerobic glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the pentose phosphate pathways of cancer cells.