Antiproliferative action of melatonin on human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.

  • Authors:
    • R M Moretti
    • M M Marelli
    • R Maggi
    • D Dondi
    • M Motta
    • P Limonta
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: March 1, 2000     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.7.2.347
  • Pages: 347-398
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Recent experimental evidence suggests that melatonin, the major pineal hormone, might possess oncostatic properties. The present experiments were performed to verify whether melatonin might modulate the growth of androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) and to obtain information on its possible mechanism of action. We have shown that melatonin, when given in the nanomolar range, significantly inhibits the proliferation of LNCaP cells; moreover, the pineal gland hormone affects cell cycle distribution by inducing an accumulation of the cells in G0/G1 and a decrease in S phase. To investigate the mechanism of action of melatonin, by RT-PCR analysis we were able to demonstrate the expression, in prostate cancer cells, of a mRNA coding for the membrane Mel1a melatonin receptor. However, by radioreceptor assay, no detectable binding of 2-[125I]iodomelatonin could be observed in membrane preparations from these cells, suggesting that the levels of translation of the mRNA for Mel1a are possibly too low to mediate the antiproliferative action of the hormone. This hypothesis is further supported by the following observations: i) melatonin analogs, specifically acting through membrane receptors (i.e., 2-bromomelatonin), were completely ineffective in modulating prostate cancer cell proliferation; ii) melatonin failed to prevent forskolin-induced cAMP accumulation. These results indicate that melatonin, at nanomolar concentrations, exerts a direct antiproliferative action on androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells, significantly affecting their distribution throughout the cell cycle. Membrane receptors do not seem to be involved in the oncostatic action of the pineal gland hormone.

Related Articles

Journal Cover

Mar-Apr 2000
Volume 7 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Moretti R, Marelli M, Maggi R, Dondi D, Motta M and Limonta P: Antiproliferative action of melatonin on human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.. Oncol Rep 7: 347-398, 2000
APA
Moretti, R., Marelli, M., Maggi, R., Dondi, D., Motta, M., & Limonta, P. (2000). Antiproliferative action of melatonin on human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.. Oncology Reports, 7, 347-398. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.7.2.347
MLA
Moretti, R., Marelli, M., Maggi, R., Dondi, D., Motta, M., Limonta, P."Antiproliferative action of melatonin on human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.". Oncology Reports 7.2 (2000): 347-398.
Chicago
Moretti, R., Marelli, M., Maggi, R., Dondi, D., Motta, M., Limonta, P."Antiproliferative action of melatonin on human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.". Oncology Reports 7, no. 2 (2000): 347-398. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.7.2.347