Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that play a crucial role in regulation of gene expression. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs implicated in initiation and progression of various human cancers, including breast cancer and also analysis of miRNA expression profiles in cancer provide new insights into potential mechanisms of carcinogenesis.
Melatonin, N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is synthesized by the pineal gland in response to the dark/light cycle and has been known to act as a synchronizer of the biological clock.
Melatonin has a variety of therapeutic effects, such as immunomodulatory actions, anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidant actions. Furthermore, melatonin is reported to have an anticancer function including suppression of the metabolism of tumor cells and induction of tumor suppressor genes in cancer cells, including breast cancer cells.
In this study, we determined whether miRNAs play a role in regulation of various gene expression responses to melatonin in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
We examined whole-genome miRNA and mRNA expression and found that 22 miRNAs were differentially expressed in melatonin-treated MCF-7 cells. We further identified a number of mRNAs whose expression level shows a high inverse correlation with miRNA expression.
The Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and pathways analysis were performed for identification of the signaling pathways and biological processes affected by differential expression of miRNA and miRNA-related genes.
Our findings suggested that melatonin may modulate miRNA and gene expression as an anticancer mechanism in human breast cancer cells.
See also:
- Official Web Site: The Di Bella Method;
- Melatonin use in cancer patients have started in 1974, when melatonin prepared according to Prof. Di Bella’s formulation [...]. For 11 days was administered to the patient, admitted to the general medical ward at the Maggiore-Pizzardi Hospital in Bologna, very slowly (over approx. 8 hours) and intravenously administered 1000 mg of melatonin for 11 days. During the course of each day, the patient was intravenously administered 4 saline drips of 500 ml, each containing ten 25 mg bottles of freeze-dried melatonin, lasting 2 hours, totaling 1000 mg per day. No other drug of any kind was administered in order to ascertain the effect of the MLT without interference [...]. From Melatonin with adenosine solubilized in water and stabilized with glycine for oncological treatment - technical preparation, effectivity and clinical findings;
- About Melatonin - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication: Melmethoatonin anticancer effects: Review (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication: Key aspects of melatonin physiology: 30 years of research (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Somatostatin in oncology, the overlooked evidences - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication, 2018 Jul: Over-Expression of GH/GHR in Breast Cancer and Oncosuppressor Role of Somatostatin as a Physiological Inhibitor (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Aug: The Entrapment of Somatostatin in a Lipid Formulation: Retarded Release and Free Radical Reactivity (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of Somatostatin and Vitamin C on the Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Cancer Cell Membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of somatostatin, curcumin, and quercetin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2020 Sep: Two neuroendocrine G protein-coupled receptor molecules, somatostatin and melatonin: Physiology of signal transduction and therapeutic perspectives (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Bromocriptine and/or Cabergoline);
- Complete objective response to biological therapy of plurifocal breast carcinoma;
- Pleural Mesothelioma: clinical records on 11 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma, stage T3-T4. Consideration of a case study;
- Neuroblastoma: Complete objective response to biological treatment;
- Large B-cells Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage IV-AE: a Case Report;
- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage III-B-E: a Case Report;
- Oesophageal squamocellular carcinoma: a complete and objective response;
- Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: clinical records on 17 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;