In vitro effects of melatonin on mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine expression in young and old rats

Inflammatory Cytokines are in Action: Brain Plasticity and Recovery after Brain Ischemia Due to Delayed Melatonin Administration

OBJECTIVES

Post-ischemic inflammation leads to apoptosis as an indirect cause of functional disabilities after the stroke. Melatonin may be a good candidate for the stroke recovery because of its anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we investigated the effect of melatonin on inflammation in the functional recovery of brain by evaluating ipsilesional and contralesional alterations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Melatonin (4 mg/kg/day) was intraperitoneally administered into the mice from the 3^rd to the 55^th day of the post-ischemia after 30 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion.

RESULTS

Melatonin produced a functional recovery by reducing the emigration of the circulatory leukocytes and the local microglial activation within the ischemic brain. Overall, the expression of the inflammation-related genes reduced upon melatonin treatment in the ischemic hemisphere. On the other hand, the expression level of the inflammatory cytokine genes raised in the contralateral hemisphere at the 55^th day of the post-ischemia. Furthermore, melatonin triggers an increase in the iNOS expression and a decrease in the nNOS expression in the ipsilateral hemisphere at the earlier times in the post-ischemic recovery. At the 55^th day of the post-ischemic recovery, melatonin administration enhanced the eNOS and nNOS protein expressions.

CONCLUSIONS

The present molecular, biological, and histological data have revealed broad anti-inflammatory effects of melatonin in both hemispheres with distinct temporal and spatial patterns at different phases of post-stroke recovery. These outcomes also established that melatonin act recruitment of contralesional rather than of ipsilesional.

Melatonin and Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Attenuate Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Modulation of Mitochondrial Function and Hemodynamic Parameters in Aged Rats

Ischemic heart diseases are the major reasons for disability and mortality in elderly individuals. In this study, we tried to examine the combined effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) preconditioning and melatonin postconditioning on cardioprotection and mitochondrial function in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of aged male rats. Sixty aged Wistar rats were randomly allocated to 5 groups, including sham, control, NMN-receiving, melatonin-receiving, and combined therapy (NMN+melatonin). Isolated hearts were mounted on Langendorff apparatus and then underwent 30-minue ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery to induce regional ischemic insult, followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (100 mg/kg/d intraperitoneally) was administered for every other day for 28 days before I/R. Melatonin added to perfusion solution, 5 minutes prior to the reperfusion up to 15 minutes early reperfusion. Myocardial hemodynamic and infarct size (IS) were measured, and the left ventricles samples were obtained to evaluate cardiac mitochondrial function and oxidative stress markers. Melatonin postconditioning and NMN had significant cardioprotective effects in aged rats; they could improve hemodynamic parameters and reduce IS and lactate dehydrogenase release compared to those of control group. Moreover, pretreatment with NMN increased the cardioprotection by melatonin. All treatments reduced oxidative stress and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and improved mitochondrial membrane potential and restored NAD⁺/NADH ratio. The effects of combined therapy on reduction of mitochondrial ROS and oxidative status and improvement of mitochondrial membrane potential were greater than those of alone treatments. Combination of melatonin and NMN can be a promising strategy to attenuate myocardial I/R damages in aged hearts. Restoration of mitochondrial function may substantially contribute to this cardioprotection.

Melatonin: a potential intervention for hepatic steatosis

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MLT) is a neuroendocrine hormone, which is primarily synthesized by the pineal gland in vertebrates. Melatonin is a remarkable molecule with diverse biological and physiological actions and is involved in the regulation of various important functions such as circadian rhythm, energy metabolism, the reproductive system, the cardiovascular system, and the neuropsychiatric system. It also plays a role in disease by having anti-neoplastic and anti-osteoarthritic effects among others. Recently, research has focused on the roles of melatonin in oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and hepatic steatosis and its potential therapeutic roles.

Melatonin: a pleiotropic molecule regulating inflammation

Melatonin is a neurohormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates sleep and circadian functions. Melatonin also regulates inflammatory and immune processes acting as both an activator and inhibitor of these responses. Melatonin demonstrates endocrine, but also paracrine and autocrine effects in the leukocyte compartment: on one side, leukocytes respond to melatonin in a circadian fashion; on the other side, leukocytes are able to synthesize melatonin by themselves. With its endocrine and paracrine effects, melatonin differentially modulates pro-inflammatory enzymes, controls production of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and leukotrienes and regulates the lifespan of leukocytes by interfering with apoptotic processes. Moreover, its potent antioxidant ability allows scavenging of oxidative stress in the inflamed tissues. The interesting timing of pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, such as those affecting lipoxygenase activity, suggests that melatonin might promote early phases of inflammation on one hand and contribute to its attenuation on the other hand, in order to avoid complications of chronic inflammation. This review aims at giving a comprehensive overview of the various inflammatory pathways regulated by this pleiotropic hormone.

Evidence of immune system melatonin production by two pineal melatonin deficient mice, C57BL/6 and Swiss strains

We evaluated two pineal melatonin deficient mice described in the literature, i.e., C57BL/6 and Swiss mice, as animal models for studying the immunomodulatory action of melatonin. Plasma melatonin levels in C57BL/6 and Swiss strains were detectable, but lower than levels in control C3H/HENHSD mice. Since these strains are suppose to be pineal melatonin deficient an extrapineal melatonin synthesis may contribute to plasma levels. Regarding cells and tissues from the immune system, all of them were found to synthesize melatonin although at low levels. N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) mRNA was also amplified in order to analyze the alternative splicing between exons 3-4 described for pineal C57BL/6 mice which generates an inclusion of a pseudoexon of 102 bp. For the pineal gland, both the wild type and the mutant isoforms were present in all mice strains although in different proportions. We observed a predominant wild type AANAT mature RNA in thymus, spleen and bone marrow cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) culture shown an evident AANAT amplification in all strains studied. Although the bands detected were less intense in melatonin deficient mice, the amplification almost reached the control cell intensity after stimulation with phytohemaglutinin (PHA). In summary, melatonin detection and AANAT mRNA expression in inbred and outbred mice clearly indicate that different cells and tissues from the immune system are able to synthesize melatonin. Thus, the pineal defect seems not to be generalized to all tissues, suggesting that other cells may compensate the low pineal melatonin production contributing to the measurable plasma melatonin level.

A review of the multiple actions of melatonin on the immune system

This review summarizes the numerous observations published in recent years which have shown that one of the most significant of melatonin's pleiotropic effects is the regulation of the immune system. The overview summarizes the immune effects of pinealectomy and the association between rhythmic melatonin production and adjustments in the immune system as markers of melatonin's immunomodulatory actions. The effects of both in vivo and in vitromelatonin administration on non-specific, humoral, and cellular immune responses as well as on cellular proliferation and immune mediator production are presented. One of the main features that distinguishes melatonin from the classical hormones is its synthesis by a number of non-endocrine extrapineal organs, including the immune system. Herein, we summarize the presence of immune system-synthesized melatonin, its direct immunomodulatory effects on cytokine production, and its masking effects on exogenous melatonin action. The mechanisms of action of melatonin in the immune system are also discussed, focusing attention on the presence of membrane and nuclear receptors and the characterization of several physiological roles mediated by some receptor analogs in immune cells. The review focuses on melatonin's actions in several immune pathologies including infection, inflammation, and autoimmunity together with the relation between melatonin, immunity, and cancer.

Human lymphocyte-synthesized melatonin is involved in the regulation of the interleukin-2/interleukin-2 receptor system

Since melatonin was first isolated in 1958 up to the last few years, this substance was considered a hormone exclusive to the pineal gland. Although melatonin has lately been identified in a large number of extrapineal sites, its potential biological actions have not yet been studied. This paper shows that human lymphocyte-synthesized melatonin plays a crucial role modulating IL-2/IL-2 receptor system because when blocking melatonin biosynthesis by the tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, parachlorophenylalanine, both IL-2 and IL-2 receptor levels fell, restoring them by adding exogenous melatonin. Moreover, we demonstrated that this endogenous melatonin interfered with the exogenous melatonin effect on IL-2 production. Melatonin exerted these effects by a receptor-mediated action mechanism because both IL-2 and IL-2 receptor expressions significantly decreased when lymphocytes were incubated in the presence of the specific membrane and/or nuclear melatonin receptor antagonists, luzindole, and/or CGP 55644, respectively. Finally, we made the real significance of the membrane melatonin receptors in this process clear, so prostaglandin E(2)-induced inhibition on IL-2 production increased when we blocked the membrane receptors using luzindole. In conclusion, these data show that endogenous melatonin is an essential part for an accurate response of human lymphocytes through the modulation of IL-2/IL-2 receptor system.

Evidence of melatonin synthesis by human lymphocytes and its physiological significance: possible role as intracrine, autocrine, and/or paracrine substance

It has been historically assumed that the pineal gland is the major source of melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) in vertebrates. Melatonin plays a central role in fine-tuning circadian rhythms in vertebrate physiology. In addition, melatonin shows a remarkable functional versatility exhibiting antioxidant, oncostatic, antiaging, and immunomodulatory properties. Melatonin has been identified in a wide range of organisms from bacteria to human beings. Its biosynthesis from tryptophan involves four well-defined intracellular steps catalyzed by tryptophan hydroxylase, aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, serotonin-N-acetyltransferase, and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase. Here, for the first time, we document that both resting and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human lymphocytes synthesize and release large amounts of melatonin, with the melatonin concentration in the medium increasing up to five times the nocturnal physiological levels in human serum. Moreover, we show that the necessary machinery to synthesize melatonin is present in human lymphocytes. Furthermore, melatonin released to the culture medium is synthesized in the cells, because blocking the enzymes required for its biosynthesis or inhibiting protein synthesis in general produced a significant reduction in melatonin release. Moreover, this inhibition caused a decrease in IL-2 production, which was restored by adding exogenous melatonin. These findings indicate that in addition to pineal gland, human lymphoid cells are an important physiological source of melatonin and that this melatonin could be involved in the regulation of the human immune system, possibly by acting as an intracrine, autocrine, and/or paracrine substance.

Melatonin fails to modulate immune parameters influenced by calorie restriction in aging Fischer 344 rats

The aim of this study was to determine if long-term treatment with melatonin (MEL), a purported anti-aging agent, was as effective as calorie restriction (CR) in modulating immune parameters in aging Fischer 344 male rats. Splenic lymphocytes were isolated from 17-month-old rats that, beginning at 6 weeks of age, were treated with MEL (4 or 16 microg/ml in drinking water) and from 17-month-old rats fed ad libitum (AL) or rats fed a CR diet (55% of AL intake). The number of splenic T cell populations and T cell subsets was measured by flow cytometry, the proliferative response of splenocytes to Concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was measured by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation, and the induction of cytokine production (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) was measured by ELISA assay. In addition, the level of the natural killer (NK) cell activity was assessed by fluorimetric assay. CR rats had a higher number of lymphocytes expressing the naïve T cell marker (CD3 OX22) than AL rats (P < 0.05). CR rats also showed greater induction of proliferative response, IL-2 and IFN-gamma levels following Con A simulation, and NK cell activity than AL rats (P < 0.05). MEL-treated rats did not differ from AL rats in any of these parameters or in any other measurement. These results indicate that MEL treatment is unable to modulate immune function in a manner comparable with that of CR.

Assessment of melatonin's ability to regulate cytokine production by macrophage and microglia cell types

Evidence in support of melatonin's role as an immunomodulator is incomplete and, in some cases, contradictory. The present studies determined whether melatonin modulates the activity of stimulated macrophages. In vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10-1000 ng/ml) treatment of alveolar, splenic and peritoneal macrophages isolated from mice and/or rats resulted in a dose-dependent increase in interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) secretion. Treatment with melatonin (10(-10)-10(-6) M) prior to the addition of LPS, had no effect on IL-1beta or TNF-alpha release. Additionally, melatonin had no effect on stimulated BV2 microglial cell line cytokine secretion. To determine whether melatonin had an indirect effect on macrophage cytokine release via T cells, melatonin was added to unfractionated mouse spleen cells. Again, melatonin showed no priming effect on LPS-stimulated spleen cells. These results suggest that melatonin has no direct or indirect effect on mouse and rat macrophages. In vivo studies, where melatonin was continuously available in the drinking water, showed that melatonin did not have a priming effect on LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. These findings suggest that melatonin is not an important modulator of macrophage and microglia function.

Melatonin modulation of lymphocyte proliferation and Th1/Th2 cytokine expression

Melatonin is hypothesized to play a role in neuroimmunomodulation. This study investigated the in vitro effects of melatonin (10(-12) - 10(-6) M) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation and T helper type 1 and T helper type 2 (Th1/Th2) cytokine expression. In vitro doses of melatonin significantly increased PBMC proliferation (p<0.05) and decreased IL-10 production in culture supernatants (p<0.05). However, there was no effect of melatonin on the stimulated production of IFN-gamma or on the intracellular accumulation of the activation antigen CD69, IFN-gamma, or IL-10 as measured by flow cytometry. These data support the notion that physiologic doses of melatonin increase lymphocyte proliferation possibly due to decreases in production of the inhibitory cytokine IL-10.

Melatonin provides signal 3 to unprimed CD4(+) T cells but failed to stimulate LPS primed B cells

Growing evidence has supported the conclusion that melatonin, a pineal hormone, modulates the immune function. In our previous study, we evaluated in vivo the potential role of melatonin in the regulation of the antigen specific T and B cells. In the present study, we observe that melatonin down-regulated the expression of the co-stimulatory molecule B7-1 but not B7-2 on macrophages. Further, melatonin encouraged the proliferation of anti-CD3 antibody activated CD4(+) T cells only in the presence of antigen-presenting cells and promoted the production of Th2-like cytokines. Furthermore, it failed to influence the activity of B cells in a T-independent manner. Melatonin suppressed the release of TNF-alpha by LPS or IFN-gamma activated macrophages but failed to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) release. Thus the study shows that melatonin can engineer the growth of unprimed CD4(+) T cells if both the signals are provided by antigen-presenting cells. However, it could not regulate the function of B cells.

Time-dependent effects of melatonin on immune measurements in male Syrian hamsters

Adult, male Syrian hamsters received daily subcutaneous melatonin (25 microg) injections or vehicle injections at 08:00 or 17:00 hr for 11 weeks. Body weights were measured weekly throughout the experiment and testes weights, spleen weights, and serum was collected at the end of the experiment. The spleens were sectioned and immunocytochemically analyzed for immunoglobulin G and serum levels of interferon-gamma, interleukin-2, and interleukin-4 were determined in heterologous mouse assays. Melatonin injections at 17:00 hr, but not at 08:00 hr, increased body weights, decreased testes weights and serum testosterone levels, and had no effect on immunoglobulin G content in the spleen. Likewise, melatonin injections at 17:00 hr, but not at 08:00 hr, increased serum interferon-gamma levels, had no effect on interleukin-2 levels, and appeared to increase interleukin-4 levels. Since melatonin injections at 08:00 hr were ineffective in altering immune measurements and correlations between reproductive measures and immune measures were high, the most parsimonious explanation for these results is that melatonin injections at 17:00 hr depressed reproductive hormone levels and these depressed levels altered immune measures.

Intervention in the aging immune system: Influence of dietary restriction, dehydroepiandrosterone, melatonin, and exercise

The decline in immunologic function with age is associated with an increase in susceptibility to infections and the occurrence of autoimmune diseases and cancers. Hence, the restoration of immunologic function is expected to have a beneficial effect in reducing pathology and maintaining a healthy condition in advanced age. A number of therapeutic strategies have been employed to intervene in the aging immune system. This article reviews the effect of dietary restriction (DR), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) treatment, melatonin (MLT) therapy, and exercise on modulating the immune responses and retarding/reducing immunosenescence. DR has been subject to intensive research and is known to be the most efficacious means of increasing longevity, reducing pathology and enhancing immune function. The circulatory levels of the androgenic hormone DHEA and the pineal hormone MLT decrease with increasing age, and this decrease has been correlated with the age-related decline in the immune system. Therefore, the observation that immunosenescence is associated with low levels of DHEA and MLT has provided a rationale for therapeutic intervention. DHEA treatment and MLT therapy both exhibit immunostimulatory actions and preliminary reports indicate that hormonal (DHEA or MLT) substitution therapy reverses immunosenescence in mice. Similarly, exercise in some studies has been shown to enhance the immune response. However, these findings have not been confirmed by other laboratories. Thus, at the present time, it is difficult to draw any definitive conclusions on the efficacy of DHEA, MLT, and exercise on reversing or restoring the aging immune system.