Protective Effects of Melatonin on Free Radical-Induced Oxidative Stress

Elisa Belvisi; Silvia Carloni; Monica Tei; Maria Gabriella Alagna; Antonino Santacroce; Marina Riccitelli; Francesco Bazzini; Mariangela Longini; Giuseppe Buonocore; Serafina Perrone; on behalf of the “Gruppo di Studio di Biochimica Clinica Neonatale della Società Italiana di Neonatologia”

doi:10.1055/s-0036-1593813

Journal of Pediatric Biochemistry, Inhaltsverzeichnis

Journal of Pediatric Biochemistry 2016; 06(02): 103-109
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1593813

Review Article

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Protective Effects of Melatonin on Free Radical-Induced Oxidative Stress

Authors

Elisa Belvisi

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Silvia Carloni

²Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo,” Urbino, Italy
Monica Tei

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Maria Gabriella Alagna

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Antonino Santacroce

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Marina Riccitelli

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Francesco Bazzini

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Mariangela Longini

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Giuseppe Buonocore

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Serafina Perrone

¹Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

on behalf of the “Gruppo di Studio di Biochimica Clinica Neonatale della Società Italiana di Neonatologia”

Abstract

Melatonin is both a potent free radical (FR) scavenger and a broad-spectrum antioxidant. It seems to give useful effects in newborn disorders as has been shown for adults. The unbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant factors leads to oxidative stress (OS) and damage to biomolecules. OS is involved in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases in adulthood, such as atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke and postischemic perfusion injury, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular diseases, chronic inflammation, septic shock, aging, and other degenerative diseases Nevertheless, there is growing evidence that OS is involved in the pathogenesis of many fetal and newborn diseases. The unbalance between a low-efficient antioxidant system and an overproduction of FR, especially in preterm babies, leads to the so-called FR-related disease of newborns, characterized by several cellular, tissue, and organ damage (kidney, retina, lung, bowel, and brain injury). Among antioxidants, melatonin (MLT) shows high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties: it is able to scavenge dangerous FR; it induces the production of antioxidant enzymes; it has no prooxidant effects; and it is safe. During the last decade, MLT has started to be considered as an attractive option to minimize as much as possible the sequelae from OS damage: in damaged lung tissue, MLT attenuates the hyperoxia-induced depletion of antioxidant enzyme activities and reduces proinflammatory cytokines; in animal model affected with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), MLT reduces tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), lipid peroxidation products, reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), and it reverses lipopolysaccharide-induced motility disturbances; in developing retina, MLT prevents retinal ganglion cell death through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In particular, MLT appears as a very interesting drug to reduce the neurological sequelae from hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Because of its lipophilic properties, MLT easily crosses most biological cell membranes, including the placenta and the blood–brain barrier and may prevent neonatal brain injury in early stage of life. The neuroprotective role of MLT calls for further investigation in the newborn infants.

Keywords

melatonin - oxidative stress - newborn - neuroprotection

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Referenzen

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