Melatonin: Protection of the Intervertebral Disc
Melatonin and the Intervertebral Disc
Keywords:
Melatonin, collagen I, collagen II, annulus fibrosis, nucleus pulposus, endochondral endplates, bone health, chondrocyte
Abstract
Low back pain (lumbar pain) due to injury of or damage to intervertebral discs is common in all societies. The loss of work time as a result of this problem is massive. Recent research suggests that melatonin may prevent or counteract intervertebral disc damage. This may be especially relevant in aging populations given that endogenous melatonin, in most individuals, dwindles with increasing age. The publications related to melatonin and its protection of the intervertebral disc are reviewed herein, including definition of some molecular mechanisms that account for melatonin’s protective actions.
References
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28. Gao W, Lin M, Liang A, et al. (2014) Melatonin enhances chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. J. Pineal Res. 56: 62-70.
29. Fu S, Kuwahara M, Uchida Y, et al. (2019) Circadian production of melatonin in cartilage modifies rhythmic gene expression. J. Endocrinol. 241: 161-172.
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J. Pineal Res. 60: 121-131.
2. Turgut M, Oktem, G, Uslu S, et al. (2006) The effect of exogenous melatonin administration on trabecular width, ligament thickness and TGF-β1 expression in degenerated intervertebral disk tissue in the rat. J. Clin. Neurosci. 13: 357-363.
3. Oktem G, Uslu S, Vatansever, SH, et al. (2006) Evaluation of the relationship between inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and effects of melatonin in experimental osteoporosis in the rat. Surg. Radiol. Anat. 28: 157-162.
4. Latorre A, Albareda J, Castiella T, et al. (1998) Experimental model of multidirectional disc hernia in rats. Int. Orthop. 22: 44-48.
5. Janssens K, ten Dijke P, Janssens S, et al. (2005) Transforming growth factor-beta 1 to the bone. Endocr. Rev. 26: 743-774.
6. Amstrup AK, Sikjaer T, Heickendorff L, et al. (2015) Melatonin improves bone mineral density at the femoral neck in postmenopausal women with osteopenia: a randomized control trial. J. Pineal Res. 59: 221-229.
7. Turgut M, Basaloglu HK, Yenisey C, et al. (2006) Surgical pinealectomy accelerates intervertebral disc degeneration process in chicken. Eur. Spine J. 15: 605-612.
8. Yu X, Li Z, Shen J, et al. (2013) MicroRNA-10b promotes nucleus pulposus cell proliferation through RhoC-Akt pathway by HOXD10 in intervertebral disc degeneration. PLoS One 8: e83080.
9. Li Z, Shen J, Wu WK J, et al. (2012) Leptin induces cyclin D1 expression and proliferation of human nucleus pulposus cells via JAK/STAT, P13K/Aκt and MEK/ERK pathways. PLoS One 7: e53176.
10. Li Z, Li X, Chen C, et al. (2017) Melatonin inhibits nucleus pulposus (NP) cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling via the melatonin membrane receptors mediated PI3K-Akt pathway. J. Pineal Res. 63:12435.
11. Zhang Z, Lin J, Tian N, et al. (2019) Melatonin protects vertebral endplate chondrocytes against apoptosis and calcification via SIRT1-autophagy pathway. J. Cell. Mol. Med. 23: 177-193.
12. Chen Y, Wu Y, Shi H, et al. (2018) Melatonin ameliorates intervertebral disc degeneration via the potential mechanisms of mitophagy induction and apoptosis inhibition. J. Cell. Mol. Med. 2019: 1-13.
13. He R, Cui M, Lin H, et al. (2018) Melatonin resists oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells. Life Sci. 199: 123-130.
14. Tan DX, Hardeland R, Manchester LC, et al. (2010) The changing biological roles of melatonin during evolution: from an antioxidant to signals of darkness, sexual selection, and fitness. Biol. Rev. Camb. Philos. Soc. 85: 607-623.
15. Reiter RJ, Mayo JC, Tan DX, et al. (2016) Melatonin as an antioxidant: under promises but over delivers. J. Pineal Res. 61: 253-278.
16. Galano A, Tan DX, Reiter RJ. (2017) Melatonin and related compounds: Chemical insights into their protective effects against oxidative stress. Curr. Org. Chem. 21: 2077-2095.
17. Leon J, Acuna-Castroviejo D, Sainz RM, et al. (2004) Melatonin and mitochondrial function. Life Sci. 75: 765-790.
18. Acuna-Castroviejo D, Rahim I, Acuna-Fernandez C, et al. (2017) Melatonin, clock genes and mitochondria in sepsis. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 74: 3965-3987.
19. Reiter RJ, Rosales-Corral S, Tan DX, et al. (2017) Melatonin as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant: one of melatonin’s best ideas. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 74: 3863-3881.
20. Tan DX, Reiter RJ (2019) Mitochondria: the birthplace, battle ground and the site of melatonin metabolism in cells. Melatonin Res. 2: 44-66.
21. Reyes-Gonzalez MC, Estaban-Zubero E, Lopez-Pingarron L, et al (2019) Antioxidant activity of pineal methoxyindoles on hepatocyte plasmatic membranes. Melatonin Res. 2: 161-174.
22. Pintor J. (2019) Melatonin stimulates extracellular matrix formation in human articular cartilage chondrocytes. Melatonin Res. 2: 106-114.
23. Liu C, Wang B, Xiao L, et al. (2018) Protective effects of the pericellular matrix of chondrocytes on articular cartilage against development of osteoarthritis. Histol. Histopathol. 33: 757-764.
24. Hosseinzadeh A, Kamrava SK, Joghataei MT, et al. (2016) Apoptosis signaling pathways in osteoarthritis and possible protective role of melatonin. J. Pineal Res. 61: 411-425.
25. Guo JY, Li F, Wen YB, Cui HX, et al. (2017) Melatonin inhibits Sirt1-dependent NAMPT and NFAT5 signaling in chondrocytes to attenuate osteoarthritis. Oncotarget 8: 55967-55983.
26. Lopez-Alcorocho JM, Aboli L, Guillen-Vincente I, et al. (2018) Cartilage defect treatment using high-density autologous chondrocyte implantation: two-year follow-up. Cartilage 9: 363-369.
27. Pei M, He F, Wei L, et al. (2009) Melatonin enhances cartilage matrix synthesis by porcine articular chondrocytes. J. Pineal Res. 46: 181-187.
28. Gao W, Lin M, Liang A, et al. (2014) Melatonin enhances chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. J. Pineal Res. 56: 62-70.
29. Fu S, Kuwahara M, Uchida Y, et al. (2019) Circadian production of melatonin in cartilage modifies rhythmic gene expression. J. Endocrinol. 241: 161-172.
30. Tan DX, Manchester LC, Liu X et al. (2013) Mitochondria and chloroplasts as the original sites of melatonin synthesis: a hypothesis related to melatonin’s primary function and evolution in eukaryotes. J. Pineal Res. 54: 127: 138.
31. Zhao D, Yu Y, Shen Y, et al. (2019) Melatonin synthesis and function: evolutionary history in animals and plants. Front. Endocrinol. 10: 249.
32. Reiter RJ (1995) The pineal gland and melatonin in relation to aging: a summary of the theories and of the data. Exp. Gerontol. 30: 199-212.
33. Danilov A, Kurganova J (2016) Melatonin in chronic pain syndromes. Pain Ther.
5: 1-17.
34. Luo C, Yang Q, Liu Y, et al. (2019) The multiple protective roles and molecular mechanisms of melatonin and its precursor N-acetylserotonin in targeting brain injury and liver damage and in maintaining bone health. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 130: 215-233.
35. Bizzarri M, Proietti S, Cucina A, et al. (2013) Molecular mechanisms of the pro-apoptotic actions of melatonin in cancer: a review. Exp. Opin. Ther. Targets 17: 1483-1496.
Published
2019-08-31
How to Cite
[1]
Reiter, R.J., Rosales-Corral, S. and Sharma, R. 2019. Melatonin: Protection of the Intervertebral Disc. Melatonin Research. 2, 3 (Aug. 2019), 1-9. DOI:https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32794/mr11250028.
Section
Reviews
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