Specificity and nanomolar potency of melatonin on G-protein coupled melatonin MT1 and MT2 receptors expressed in HEK-293T human embryo kidney cells

The potency of melatonin on MT1 and MT2 receptors

  • Rafael Rivas-Santisteban Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine. School of Biology. Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona. Spain and Centro de Investigación en Red, enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. CiberNed. Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Madrid. Spain.
  • Irene Reyes-Resina Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine. School of Biology. Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona. Spain and Centro de Investigación en Red, enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. CiberNed. Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Madrid. Spain.
  • Iu Raich Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, School of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • Jesus J Pintor Optics School, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
  • Hanan Awad Alkozi Optics School, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
  • Gemma Navarro Centro de Investigación en Red, enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. CiberNed. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain and Dept. Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • Rafael Franco Centro de Investigación en Red, enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. CiberNed. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain and Dept. Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Keywords: melatonin receptor, sleep, cAMP, Signal transduction, binding, pharmacokinetics

Abstract

This is a pre-registered study, i.e. a study whose hypotheses and experiments designed to address these hypotheses have been deposited in a database before starting the experiments. The study aims at assessing the Gs versus Gi coupling and the potency of melatonin in the human version of melatonin MT1 and MT2 G-protein-coupled receptors expressed in HEK-293T cells. The results show that these receptors are Gi but not Gs coupled. By using a standard procedure of modulation of 0.5 µM forskolin-induced cAMP levels, it was found that the potency on MT2 receptor-mediated actions is in the low nanomolar range, but the potency on MT1 receptor is in the high nanomolar range.  The potency of melatonin to stimulate the MT2 receptor is similar to that of a selective agonist, N-[2-(2-methoxy-6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-11-yl)ethyl]butanamide (IIK7). Overall, the data on the potency of melatonin on its receptors will provide a new look for melatonin research. It is important to consider this finding for appropriately addressing physiological or therapeutic effects based on melatonin potency. Thus, the low doses of melatonin used in the existing prolonged release preparations or in other supplements should be revisited.  


Author Biography

Jesus J Pintor, Optics School, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain

In memoriam

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Published
2019-12-15
How to Cite
[1]
Rivas-Santisteban, R., Reyes-Resina, I., Raich, I., Pintor, J., Alkozi, H., Navarro, G. and Franco, R. 2019. Specificity and nanomolar potency of melatonin on G-protein coupled melatonin MT1 and MT2 receptors expressed in HEK-293T human embryo kidney cells. Melatonin Research. 2, 4 (Dec. 2019), 121-131. DOI:https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32794/mr11250044.
Section
Research Articles